When It Isn't Enough
by GravityIsOverated
Summary: "You call on misguided gods and aliens to save you. They will not. You have sealed your own fate and you will only be able to cower as I destroy everthing you hold dear. Fear me. I am the brain interactive construct and I will raze Earth to the ground." The planet is under attack, and guns and missiles aren't enough to stop it. They need protection. They need a Justice League. BMWW
1. Chapter 1: Our Only Hope

Chapter 1: Our Only Hope

The man walked through the crowds carrying a folder as he scanned the area for his destination. Half of him demanded he get there quicker while the other half bade him to run away, quit this job and pretend he'd never heard of the news currently compiled in the files in his hands. But it was his duty as an American, and to the world, that he tell and warn everyone he could of the oncoming catastrophe. And there was no one who needed to know more than the president. Taking a deep breath, he turned the knob on the door and walked briskly inside.

"So, Mr. Jones, my secretary has said you have information of national importance to tell me. So, what has a soldier like you have to tell me?"

He gulped. The most powerful man in the world sat before him, accompanied by various members of the presidential staff. His general was also there, and the vice president was holding a phone with the voice of all the world's leaders, he was sure. Swallowing down his fear, he spoke:

"Earlier today an… alien handed me this, sir," he said. His heart was pounding.

"An alien, you say?" His left eyebrow was raised, and the president's facial expression was shifting from surprise to incredulous.

"Yes, sir. He insisted I get this to you." As he spoke he gave the folder to the general, who looked at him with no small amount of reticence. He didn't blame him.

"Ok, ok… and what did he look like? Did he say why we needed this information?"

"Um… he was in a green suit and uh… he looked a bit like a lizard with a beak… sir." He wasn't going to be asked for another term, he knew it. And if he was, then his sergeant would probably demand he spend time in the psychiatric ward for the foreseeable future.

The president looked… thoughtful? He couldn't really tell. He only knew that all other eyes were on him, wondering if he was insane.

"Thanks, son. You've done your country a service by getting this to me. You may go."

Leaving the room, he thought to himself, _well that didn't go terribly._

As soon as Jones left, and most of the staff for that matter, the president flicked through the pages. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Call a meeting with the world's leaders. They have got to hear this."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, General?"

General Alan Shanks rubbed his brow in frustration. His considerable time in the army may have been the reason for it, but his patience was truly being tested now. He wondered how anybody could handle all this political crap.

He was currently surrounded by monitors with near every world leader facing him. The Prime Minister from England, the President of Russia… the list went on. And for the first time, it seemed like they were actually agreeing on something.

"This is preposterous! These… vigilantes can't be allowed to fight our own battles! The people need to see their own leaders standing up for what's right! Not these costumed gods and aliens!"

The only bad thing was that they were wrong.

The Prime Minister spoke: "I may not be completely against this, but think about what you intend to do. This… team? Justice League? Even if they were to prevail, this plan could easily backfire on us."

The general's patience was definitely leaving him now. "With all due respect, this is our best chance. Our only chance. If we don't take action now, we're doomed. We've been warned of what is coming. Do you really think assault rifles and grenades will do anything against this guy?"

The general chalked up a point for himself as they mumbled their arguments. They may have had reservations about the Justice League, but they didn't doubt that if this… brain interactive construct was truly as bad as they feared, they didn't stand a chance.

"I guess we'll put it to a vote," the Australian prime minister said.

"I'm afraid that isn't going to happen, Prime Minister. This is happening, with or without any of your consent."

That got them shouting again. Eventually, the British Prime Minister calmed then down enough so he could speak. "If you do this, then you better be prepared if it all goes pear shaped. You are asking people like Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to come together. These beings are strong enough on their own, let alone in a group. If they disagree, they could tear our world apart. If they don't, if they work too well, they may turn on us. That is the chance you're taking."

General Shanks didn't have a sharp rebuttal to that remark. Instead, he just sighed.

"We have to take this gamble. It's the only chance we've got."

He was sure the politicians would argue more, claiming it was crazy, dangerous, ridiculous etc. There was only one thought in his head though.

_It's our only hope._

* * *

Lois Lane sat typing away on her computer, oblivious to the ramblings of her colleagues. She had a lot of work to do, which was why she didn't appreciate distractions. They included the two men in suits not getting the hint that she didn't want to talk.

"Miss Lane, we really do need to speak with you. The matter is of national importance."

"Of course it is." Her reply was the definition of sarcasm.

"It's about Superman."

"Already told you, I don't know who he is. And if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Can you leave me alone now?"

"We need his help."

That roused her curiosity, even if it was only a little bit. "He's not some mindless dog you unleash when you need help. If someone needs him, he'll be there. You should know that."

"The world is in danger. He may be one of the few that can save it."

Lois thought that she'd crack a joke at that, but she did notice how serious they were acting. Wordlessly, one of them handed her a folder with 'Confidential' stamped on it.

"If we can't get this to him, then you can. Don't trust anyone else with this, just him. All the information he needs is inside."

With that, they left.

_What just happened? _She thought to herself.

Her head was still reeling as Clark came up to her. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Oh, nothing. Just… thinking."

"What did those guys want? They looked pretty official, didn't they?"

"Yeah."

Clark may not have been the smartest person when it came to understanding Lois, but he could easily tell there was something wrong. Her usual sarcastic and quick-witted responses were nowhere to be seen. That in itself was really worrying.

"Lois, what happened?"

She looked at him. She'd been told not to say anything to anyone, but this was Clark. If she couldn't trust him, then she couldn't trust herself.

"Meet me on the roof in fifteen minutes."

* * *

"God… and they gave that to you?"

Clark couldn't believe it. His super hearing had picked up most of the conversation, but he was surprised nevertheless. He would definitely need to go over the info again when he changed identities.

She picked up on his disbelief. "Think about it. I've been seen talking to him, getting rescued by him… it makes sense."

"I guess, but… Jesus, this is big. You think the big man is up to it?"

He saw belief and… maybe a little pride in her eyes as she answered. "If anyone can do it, it's him. I can tell he'd give everything to keep Earth safe."

Clark felt his chest bloom with pride. _She believes in me._

"Um, Clark? Kent? Anybody home?"

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he responded: "So, how're you going to get this to him?"

She smiled a bit. "Oh, I'll yell loud enough and he'll come. He always does."

He nodded. "Well, I'll leave you to it."

"Want to meet him?" she asked. A knowing smile was on her lips.

"Uh, no. I got to finish my work. I'll… talk to you later."

"Alright. Goodbye, Clark."

As he walked back down the stairs and to his desk, he thought to himself:

_She knows. Of course she knows._

And for some reason, he wasn't too bothered about that.

* * *

After switching identities and talking to Lois for a bit, Superman scanned the contents of the files currently in his hands. Although she'd shown him a few of them before when he was Clark, the information before him now was mind-blowing. He saw pictures of a woman wielding a sword and shield with a lasso attached to her side, a man in a green suit making constructs out of thin air and a… man in black, seemingly with bat ears on a cowl obstructing his face. The contents of that particular file were noticeably less detailed than the others.

But even they paled in comparison to the next page. It detailed something with the faint outline of a man. He couldn't tell if it was an alien or a machine or both. Perusing the info, he read:

_This individual has apparently wasted planets and destroyed whole civilisations. Not much is known about him, however we speculate he is an alien machine of some sort, with drones being the equivalent of soldiers in his army. Whatever the case, we do know he is highly dangerous. A squad of fifty of our best men were sent to flush him out in his base of operations on our planet. Only one returned, with a message._

Superman's eyes widened as he read on. For once, it seemed the American government were right. They did need him. He kept going:

_He said: "I am the brain interactive construct. I will bring Earth to it's knees and I will raze it to the ground." When we tried to question him further, he started babbling incoherently about his unit being swatted like bugs, and of a gigantic ship. We have since given this monster a name._

_Brainiac._

Superman slowly closed the folder as he tried to process what his mind had just absorbed. They were right. Bullets and missiles weren't enough. They would need a team of extraordinary people just to stand a chance.

They would need a Justice League.

* * *

**Hey there! I'm pretty new on fanfiction (This is my first fanfic) however I had an idea for a story and decided to give it a try. I'll try to upload frequently (Maybe weekly or bi-weekly) however I make no promises. What I do promise are longer chapters. From what I have read, unless it's a one-shot or a really short story,(I mean really short. Like two or three chapters short) you need to put in more words to properly describe and flesh out the characters. All my chapters, besides this one, will have at least 4k or 5k words in them. And I may increase that.**

**Anyway, this is basically how I envision the Justice League forming. I narrowed it down to six characters and unfortunately some didn't make it, Hawkgirl being an example. However, if some characters don't appear in this story, odds are they will be included in the next. I don't plan on doing just one story and leaving it there. I hope to continue it, if people want me to.**

**Another thing I wish to address are the events that have happened before this story. You have your standard backstory (Kal-El's ship leaving Krypton, Bruce Wayne watching his parents die, etc) and then certain events that have happened. Barbara Gordon being Oracle is an example. I'll keep you up to date on any other events.**

**And lastly, I take most of the characters costumes from the videogame Injustice: Gods Among Us. I would highly recommend it, as it is the best new thing DC have got at the moment bar the Man of Steel film (The New 52 is just awful.) Although feel free to picture them however you want in your head. (And no, Wonder Woman will not look like a man. I don't personally think she's that bad, although some people would disagree)**

**And if you're still here and haven't been bored to death by my rambling, it would do me the world of good if you'd leave a review. I'd like to know what you think.**

**Goodbye!**

***Update: I decided on the pairing for this story. Or, more truthfully, I decided to display it. It is BMWW and in reality is was never going to be anything but. Certainly not SMWW. I can't stand that ship. I really just don't like it. Anyway, it won't necessarily be love at first sight for these two, it will be gradual, but I won't drag it out too long. Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2: Search and Discover

Chapter 2: Search and Discover

Wonder Woman hovered over the ocean and quietly wondered how her life had become so complicated.

Firstly, there were the things in Man's world that she still hadn't quite got her head around. The internet, for one thing. Also, how some people could be so wasteful. On Themyscira, she and her sisters would always be resourceful and use everything to its potential. On Man's world, the obesity and waste shocked her.

Then there were the almost endless acts of crime wherever she went. She did her best, but sometimes she felt her contributions hardly did a dent in the world of crime. There was always one more bad guy to stop, one more mugger to drop into the police etc.

And then there was the loneliness. Steve did his best to help her adjust, and she had made a few friends, but even then she barely saw them.

It wasn't that she had problems with men propositioning her. It was quite the opposite. The problem was that they were either disgusting pigs who had no respect for women (she'd already broken several arms already that had tried to cop a feel) or they were only interested in Wonder Woman, not Diana, the person on the inside. The world seemed to look up to her, and yet she didn't feel accepted. No, that wasn't right. She wasn't normal to them. In her home, she was just Diana. In Man's world, she was Wonder Woman.

In all honesty, she missed Themyscira. She missed her mother, her friends and her sisters.

Her thoughts were soon broken. She suddenly stilled, almost imperceptibly tensing up as she realised she was no longer alone. Taking a breath, she readied herself.

"Hey, can I talk to-" That was as far as he got before she flew away, turning in midair while she unsheathed her sword and shield. In less than a second, she faced her 'assailant'.

She relaxed as she saw who he was. She hadn't met him before, but she could recognise him anywhere. The curl in his hair, the red and blue costume and the big S on his chest told her who he was.

"Superman. What can I do for you?"

* * *

Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern nonchalantly left his bedroom for a coffee. He had a day off today from his job, which meant he had a day to 'reconnect' with Carol. She was currently asleep, sated and beautiful. Letting out a happy sigh, he filled his mug.

"Hello, Hal."

Of course he had to fall on his ass. With his coffee falling right on top of him. Real heroic.

"Tomar-Re? What are you doing here? And how… long have you been here?" His fellow lantern stood before him. He really wished he'd only just arrived.

"Oh, it's been a good half hour now. I didn't feel it polite of me to… interrupt a private moment between you and your partner."

Hal stared at him. He didn't know if aliens with beaks could really smile, but if they could, he had no doubt Tom would be grinning from ear to ear by now.

_Oh for fuck's-_

His current thoughts were interrupted as Tomar spoke again. "I have something to tell you."

"Okay. Well, was it so important that you had to come here instead of calling me to Oa?"

He didn't catch Hal's sarcasm. "Yes. Because this isn't about Sinestro. It's a strictly human matter. The world is going to need you again. Soon."

Tomar-Re handed him a folder. Flicking through the pages, his eyes widened as he quickly took in what was before him. "Have you told the President about this?"

"Yes. Indirectly, of course. I didn't think startling the Earth's most powerful man was a good idea."

"Indirectly? Don't tell me you just gave it to some bystander on the street," he said. He imagined that scenario in his head, and inwardly chuckled. If he'd been freaked out when Abin Sur crashed into his life, he'd like to see the average guy's reaction.

_He'd probably check himself into a mental hospital._

"Don't be ridiculous. I gave it to a soldier. He was just about to be put on leave. It was logical at the time. Anyway, the meeting place is in there," he said, indicating to the folder in his hand.

"Goodbye, and good luck." Nodding his head, Tom turned to leave.

"Just one thing, before you go. Why can't the other lanterns help us? I mean, I don't doubt Superman or this plan we have, but why can't the guardians give us a bit of backup?"

Tomar sighed."The guardians believe this is a strictly human matter. Brainiac is in your sector, therefore making him your responsibility. Also, they don't deem him a threat to the entire galaxy. That is why they won't help."

Hal looked thoughtful as his friend turned to leave. "And Jordan? If I could, I would aid you. End Brainiac. Make sure he fails, and make sure he can't rise again. Otherwise we might all pay the price."

Hal watched as he flew out of the window. His mind was still processing what had happened a moment before when he heard the bedroom door open. Carol slowly walked out, dressed in one of his shirts. He grinned. She seemed to look sexy in anything she wore.

"Hey gorgeous," he said, planting a kiss on her lips. The shirt was big enough to cover her intimate parts.

_Pity._

She leisurely stretched, no doubt for his benefit. "Hi. What was all that about?"

He sighed. Maybe she hadn't been as asleep as he'd thought.

"How much did you hear?"

She smiled. "Well, you sounded really serious, which almost never happens. The last time I heard your voice like that, you were about to face Parallax. Plus your nice white t-shirt is covered in coffee."

Hal considered not telling her. Maybe it would be better if she didn't know, he reasoned. They could wait, and he could get her to a safe place, where she wouldn't have to worry.

But he didn't do that. She deserved better than that, and plus she'd know if he was lying. She had this uncanny ability to find out if he was being dishonest.

So he told her. She looked surprised several times as he spoke, but she patiently listened until he was finished.

"So, the world is in danger? Like in danger of becoming post-apocalyptic?"

He nodded, as she asked her questions. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and said:

"Well it's a good thing we got Superman. He can just freeze the bastard and be done with it," she said, giggling. She wanted to get a rise out of him, and she could tell it was working.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," he retorted.

"Yep," she agreed. "I wonder who's the best out of all of them? Superman? Wonder Woman? Maybe Batman, he's got that mysterious air about him. Certainly not that Green Lantern, he's-"

That was as far as she got before he snatched her up in his arms and carried her toward the bedroom. "I really don't want to talk about them at the moment," he whispered into her ear.

"Neither do I," she responded, as he laid her out on the bed. "Get to work, boy."

Offering a salute, Hal quickly obliged. He'd meet the other heroes later, but right now… he had all the time in the world.

* * *

There were a lot of roads Barry Allen liked, but he loved one in particular. The Nullarbor, in Australia. It consisted of thoudands of miles of road and basically nothing else. He came here to run and to think, and found it most refreshing and rewarding. He was nearly always alone on these runs, which was why he was surprised to see a man currently flying overhead, and following **him**.

Curious, he decided to play a little game. Just a little, he began to increase his speed, until the figure had to drop lower to try to get his attention. He could hear him shout behind him.

"Hey! Can you slow down? I just want to talk!"

Slowing his pace just a little, the Flash let the guy catch up, until the two were right beside each other.

"Superman? It's an honour to meet you and… what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," he replied. The Flash never thought he'd see the Man of Steel a little out of breath, but to him, it appeared he was.

_I suppose I'll take that as a compliment, _he thought.

"Could we stop and talk?" Superman asked. "Not that racing with you all day is a terrible idea, but we really need to discuss something."

Flash did as he asked, slowing down until the both of them were stationary on the road. "So, what brings you down to see little old me?"

He smiled. "I wouldn't call you little. You've been the toughest to track so far."

"Oh? And who have you been tracking?" Flash asked. He had to admit, his interest was piqued.

"Oh, No one in particular. Ever heard of Wonder Woman? Green Lantern? I think Batman's coming to the party as well," he said, as Barry's eyes significantly widened at the names. "Fancy joining?"

"You had my curiosity, now you have my attention. But… why? The people may like us, but the government certainly don't. What's happened that we need to be brought together? Unless you were just feeling lonely, of course."

He laughed at that. "Come with me, and I'll explain. We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

There were some things General Shanks was never going to admit, not to himself or anyone else. One of them was the fact that he was legitimately terrified of what would happen if these heroes wouldn't get along.

These heroes were currently sitting at a table in the base the army had provided them, since they didn't have a place of their own to plan their attack. They seemed to get on pretty well, considering he'd been expecting them to have blown up everything by now. Green Lantern and the Flash were chatting to each other quite amicably, while Superman and Wonder Woman were discussing Brainiac. Eventually they came across the same question.

"Where is Batman?"

The general shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew they would have asked him eventually, but it would have been better for him and his pride if he didn't have to tell them. His answer was a bit embarrassing.

"We couldn't find him."

If he'd wanted to strike four superheroes dumbfounded, then he'd succeeded. "What do you mean you couldn't find him? He's only one man, isn't he?" It was Wonder Woman who had asked.

"Batman isn't just any ordinary man. There are myths about him, like modern day folklore. Some people don't even believe he exists."

Green Lantern looked a bit miffed. "Well, does he exist? I'd hate to have gotten excited over a half human half bat hybrid for nothing."

"Very funny, Lantern. He isn't some hybrid, nor is he non-existent. He's just extremely hard to find," Shanks explained. The heroes were looking at him with rapt fascination. "He doesn't fight like you do. He employs stealth, utilising clever tactics and takedowns to fight his enemies. Most people he's fought have described him as a shadow. They never saw him coming."

"So, you're gonna need me to go fetch him, then," Superman said. While he didn't mind that much, he felt like he was the errand boy at that moment. He'd had to round up all the heroes so far apart from Lantern.

Wonder Woman seemed to pick up on his mood. "I'll help you find him," she offered.

"Thanks, Diana," he said. "It'll make trooping through Gotham a little less tedious."

"Right. So while you shift through that shithole, I'm going to Star City. I've got some loose ends to tie up. Flash, you coming?" Lantern asked. Flash looked surprised. "It would make more sense to know each other a bit better if we're gonna save the world."

"Don't tell any friends of this," the General said, with a hard look at him. "The less people know, the better."

"With all due respect,_ General_," he said, the undertones of sarcasm evident in Lantern's voice, "You need my help. I'll tell anyone I want. If you want to throw me out of this little club, feel free. Something tells me you need me."

"This meeting is adjourned." While General Shanks wanted to reprimand this guy, he knew better than to argue with a hero that could construct anything he wanted. Even If he was an asshole.

"Well, now that that's settled," Superman said with forced cheer. "Let's get to work."

* * *

"I appreciate that a guy can get angry sometimes, but was it really a good idea to snap at him like that?" Flash asked. Him and Green Lantern were currently on a roof overlooking Star City. "Why are we here right now anyway?"

"No reason, really. Just needed a bit of space. If I go to Coast City I'll end up fighting muggers and rapists all night. Right now I just want to think."

"I hear that. Imagine… seven billion people. All those lives depending on us. It's even worse knowing that he's here somewhere, waiting to strike. We need to find a way to flush him out."

The two men watched as the night life in the district began to get into full swing. The lights illuminated the city, making it shine in a yellow glow.

"You know, it's a pity this city has no one to protect it."

"I wouldn't say that."

The Flash and Green Lantern immediately tensed, getting into a fighting stance. Using his ring as a torch, he scanned the roof for any sign that they weren't alone.

"Today is not a good day to pick fights with us!" the Flash threatened. Tapping into his power, he ran around the roof and building, looking for anyone who could be considered an enemy.

He didn't get far before he tripped on something.

Looking down, Barry saw a near invisible monofilament wire, attached to an arrow. The arrow hadn't hit anything, meaning it must have been fired at just the right moment. There was no way anyone could hit him when he was running, which meant it had been fired as soon as the mysterious person spoke.

_Clever._

"There won't be any fighting today unless you want one," a voice above him spoke. Looking up, Flash saw a figure dressed in green, with a bow in his hand. What made it more peculiar was that the man was smiling.

"I recognise you," Green Lantern said. "You're that guy from the news I've heard about. You're Green Arrow."

"Well, I suppose you could call me' The Hood' or 'The Vigilante', I guess. The Emerald Archer suits as well. Or just Arrow. I seem to get so many names in the tabloids."

The Flash and Green Lantern looked at each other. For an apparent hero, his weapons seemed to be pretty basic. He was dressed in armour fit for archers of the middle age, all in green, with a hood covering his face and a quiver of arrows on his back. Everything seemed to be in the same colour, even the arrows.

He also seemed to be way more laid back, cheerful and easy going, though his eyes were ever alert.

"So, if you're done gawking, could I ask you why you're in my city? Nice duds, by the way," he said, pointing to Green Lantern. His question was innocent enough, but Flash could detect a slight tone of indignance in his voice.

"We were just passing through. We'll be on our way," Flash replied. "No point getting into a fight over nothing."

"Smart man." Arrow was secretly relieved, even though he didn't show it. Although he was highly skilled with a bow, among other things, he seriously doubted he could hold his own against two pissed super-powered metas. As they were about to leave though, his curiosity got the better of him.

"Are you two together now?"

Both their heads whipped round in shock. "What?!"

He rolled his eyes. "Not that kind of together. Are you working together, and, if so, why?"

With realization dawning on them, the Flash was about to come up with a standard answer, that they were friends, they wanted to talk, etc. But Lantern beat him to it.

"Now that you mention it, have you ever heard of Brainiac?"

"Who?"

The Flash rounded on him in an instant. "What are you doing?" he said in a hushed tone. "The general specifically told you not to tell anybody!"

"And I really don't care about what he said. Look at this guy. He's capable, and if Brainiac is as bad as we think, we're going to need all the help we can get."

"He's a guy with bows and arrows! We live in modern times, not medieval ones!"

"Uh, guys? I'm standing right here!"

Ignoring the Flash, Green Lantern walked up to the Emerald Archer. "You care about your city, don't you?"

Green Arrow nodded, interested in what this guy had to say.

"Then come with us. I'll fly you there. A storm is coming, and we don't how or when it's going to hit. If you want to save everything you care about, then you'll join us. What'd you think?"

"I think you're both mad, but then I'm mad too. Let's go save the world."

* * *

Three days.

That's how long it had been since they'd started to look for Batman. It had gotten to the point where both Diana and Kal were wondering if he actually existed. The only thing that made her doubt that theory was the fact that, over the three days, there had been continuous accounts of Batman sightings and several beaten up rapists and muggers had been arrested.

Diana sighed. It had taken Lantern and Flash less than an hour to recruit Green Arrow, and he hadn't even been on the list.

Although it had been admittedly hilarious when General Shanks came in to see the archer with his feet perched on the table and talking to Green Lantern like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Shaking those thoughts aside, she focused on her current goal: Find the Batman. Her and Superman had decided there was no point looking for him in broad daylight, as he never came out in the light and it would only serve to antagonise him. Though they were starting to seriously consider that option, as it seemed to be the only thing that would draw him out.

She narrowed her eyes. He should've come out by now. Arrow had checked up on the heroes in his city the second he'd realised they were there. So why hadn't he?

"Diana, could you stop staring at the street like that? I'm afraid a car is going to explode or something, the way you're glaring at it."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I was just thinking, that's all."

Superman laughed. "It's okay. Just save that glare for the bad guys. You look a lot better without the angry look on your face."

She laughed. The both of them were unaware they were being watched.

* * *

He studied them. Three nights, they'd been here. They'd come at night, in his city, looking for him. They hadn't caught him yet, but Batman could tell his time was running out. The initial boost about the fact that they didn't have a clue who he was, what he was, was passing. It was only a matter of time before they figured out that all they had to do was follow the criminals to get to him. Either that or look for him in the middle of the day, in plain sight of everybody, to draw him out. Idly, he noticed that a target of his, a thug working for Penguin, was walking in the direction of the superheroes. He smiled.

Time to kill two birds with one stone.

* * *

Superman's hearing was brilliant. Which meant the unexpected yelp from a building a block away nearly deafened him. Instantly though, he knew who it was.

"It's him."

Wonder Woman was suddenly alert. "Where?"

"A block away." Superman used his hearing to determine what was happening. "He's interrogating someone."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," she said, relieved that the chase was nearly over.

"Wait. He's not going to like it if we just barge in while he's at work. We'll sneak up closely and observe the situation. Don't interfere. This is his city, after all."

She pursed her lips. "Fine, but if I see something I don't like, I'm going in. With or without you."

"Agreed."

"Who is he giving the explosives to?"

The Batman's voice was low, wrapped with menace. He was currently instilling fear into his target, and, judging by the terrified guy's expression, it was working.

"I don't know, man! I just deliver the shipments! I don't want no trouble!"

"That's not good enough."

The thug was suddenly winded as Batman struck him in the stomach, which was followed by a swift uppercut to the jaw after he doubled up in pain.

"Come on! I don't know! I swear!"

He was lifted again, until he was bent over the rooftop, staring at the streets below.

"That's a long way down. Today isn't a good day to lie to me."

"You don't kill. You don't… kill." The man was nearly repeating it like a mantra, his belief in the statement slowly disappearing as his fear intensified.

"No, I don't," he said. His relief was short-lived however. "But how about a broken leg?"

Hovering from afar, Superman and Wonder Woman watched with horrific fascination. Diana was the first to voice her concern. "I don't like this. He's scaring and brutalising that man for no reason. He's clearly not lying, judging from the amount of fear in him. So why is he continuing?"

Superman sighed. Although he was equally as uncomfortable with Batman's interrogation, he understood why. She apparently didn't.

"He has a reputation to uphold. He isn't a cop, remember. He goes by his own rules."

"Well I don't agree with him or his 'rules'. Time for a little chat."

"Diana! Stop!" But even he wasn't quick enough. She was already down there, ready to confront Batman. All he could do was follow her and watch.

"That's enough," she said, walking up to him. She noticed the man he was interrogating and the fact that his expression changed. It seemed to be midway between hopeful and terrified, unsure if the situation he was in was better or worse.

Batman, however, didn't even acknowledge her.

"I said, that's enough!" she stated, this time putting her hand on his arm. Superman already knew what was coming next.

Batman imperceptibly tensed, and, without even glancing, grabbed hold of her arm before throwing her over his shoulder and onto the ground.

Her reaction was one of shock, in total disbelief that he would be bold enough to throw an Amazon. In an instant though, her expression changed to that of cold rage. Picking herself up off the ground, she launched herself at him.

Superman reached her just in time, as he managed to put a restraining hand on her shoulder to make sure she didn't flatten their possible future teammate. Still he could justify why she'd want to pummel him into the ground. Pissing off an Amazon was not a good idea.

"How dare you! You ignorant, stupid, arrogant-"

"Diana, stop!" He had no doubt that she would have gone on with her insults, but the situation he'd have mediate his way out of was bad enough already. He didn't need it getting worse.

Still, he turned to Batman. "I'd heard you were crazy. I didn't think you were stupid."

"I don't tell you how to do your job. I don't appreciate her telling me how to do mine. Now, get out of my city."

Wonder Woman was still in a state of disbelief. They'd gone to all this trouble for this guy?

Superman was not one to be intimidated. "If you care about your city so much, then you'll listen to what we have to say." He leaned in, hoping the man would have the sense to back off.

He didn't however. If anything he moved in closer, looking him right in the eye. "Speak then. You've come here repeatedly for three nights. You've been looking for me. Is Gotham in danger?"

"Yes. The whole world is. We need any help we can get, and you're one of the best. A battle is coming, and we won't be able to survive if we don't work together. What do you say?"

Batman quietly considered. On one hand, if he complied, he was going to work with gods. Gods that could go rogue or change their allegiances. On the other hand however, if Superman was genuine, the world could potentially be turned to rubble. Including his beloved city.

He had to do everything in his power to prevent that. Also, it wouldn't hurt to be able to keep an eye on them. He gave his answer.

"Give me your location. I'll travel there when I'm done with this guy," he said, his hand indicating the beaten up thug still lying on the rooftop. "We'll discuss this further then."

"What, no interrogation?" Superman joked, trying to lighten the mood. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work. Batman still looked at him with the same serious expression.

"You two have been looking for me for three days now. I doubt you would waste your time for the sake of a practical joke. I'll see you later."

The conversation now over, Batman went back over to the thug. Using a hook, he left him dangled over the side, where the police would find him. Then, taking out his grapple, he swung to another building before disappearing from sight.

With no other reason to remain in Gotham, Wonder Woman and Superman started to make their way back. Diana couldn't resist asking him something though.

"Was that guy worth all the trouble?" she asked. She sounded extremely doubtful.

"I guess we'll see. Though I don't think he'll disappoint."

"Okay. I've got one other question though."

"Go ahead."

"Does our base have a sparring room? Because I'm going to need it."

* * *

**And there we have it, chapter two. Thanks to the people that reviewed, and anyone who decided to look at this story. I'm happy if people are reading it.**

**Anyway, as you can probably guess, these six characters are the ones I'm going with for this story. I went back and forth deciding whether I should have five (minus Green Arrow), the six I have here or seven. In the end i decided on these people because I know them. I'm well versed in Batman (Nope, I'm not a 'batfag' or anything, he's just my favourite character), I know a good bit about Superman and although I'm not a know all on Wonder Woman, I know a lot about Greek Mythology, so I'm okay with her. As pointed out, if there's something essential i need to know about her I'll go on the wikis.**

**No, the problem was with the other three. I'm most knowledgeable on Hal Jordan out of the Green Lanterns, although I wouldn't rule out John Stewart appearing in the future (Not in this fic though), so I picked him. Admittedly, I don't know that much about Flash, so if I make a mistake it would be great if you could tell me so I can rectify it. And lastly, Green Arrow was chosen because he's a smartass, provides a bit of comic relief and the fact that he was great in Injustice and that I really like the CW's Arrow.**

**So, yeah, I guess that's it for now, until the next chapter. As always, it would be fantastic if you could leave a review and tell me what you think so far. Like it? Loathe it? Don't have a clue about it? I don't mind either way (No flames though. Constructive criticism only. If I make a mistake I'll hold my hands and say guilty as charged, but I don't want some troll having a go for no good reason.)**

**Goodbye!**


	3. Chapter 3: Test Your Might

**Disclaimer: Yep, I don't own these characters. Otherwise Batman and Wonder Woman would be together and the New 52 would never have happened. Happy, Geoff Johns?**

Chapter 3: Test Your Might

"So, what exactly do you intend to do?" Batman asked. For the millionth time that day, Wonder Woman wondered why on Earth they'd invited _him_ here.

Most of the team still didn't have a clue what to make of him. Green Arrow had took a liking to him, but the main reason he had was because he was no longer the only non-powered human in the group. In his own words, "When I see all of you flying and ripping things to pieces, I'll feel a lot less useless knowing there's someone else who can't do it."

Flash had been polite, offering to show him around and, even though Batman declined, he didn't seem to mind the Speedster. Green Lantern had attempted to make a wise-crack about him, however he had received a stone-cold glare for it. Although he'd shown no outward sign of fear, Superman had detected a slight change in his heartbeat.

And then there was Superman. He seemed to be a little wary of him, respecting his presence yet not fully trusting of the man behind the cowl. Diana had actually expected that, as it seemed Batman was one of the few people not to be awed or fearful of him. While there was no doubt Superman liked the change, he was unnerved by it. As he'd said to Diana, "think about what I am. I expect people to fear me, just a little. They're scared of what I might do. Yet he doesn't show any sign of it. That is worrying."

Still, they had been able to get on quite amicably. Herself on the other hand… well, although he hadn't done anything else to further provoke her, she was still irritated by him. Mainly because he'd had the audacity to throw her earlier on. Although only her pride was hurt, and the fact that she was a bit impressed that a mortal man would have the courage and the guts to do it, it still irked her.

Finally there was the general, who, surprisingly, seemed to get on well with the Dark Knight. Amongst a team of superheroes, he seemed to interest him the most. That did puzzle her a bit, as the General seemed to think most of the group were predictable, making them easier to talk to, whereas Batman certainly wasn't. It also helped that they had been talking non-stop about the situation with Brainiac.

"We know Brainiac has set up camp here," he replied, pointing to the projection Green Lantern had brought up, identical to what was drawn on the pages. "Landing parties were discovered two months ago. Initial research team's attempts to find out what was there were rebuffed immediately. They described it as some sort of distorting veil, manipulating what they saw. Other teams sent in returned with a similar lack of success. As you know, we sent in SWAT teams two weeks ago."

He sighed. "All, apart from one, were terminated with extreme efficiency. The only reason he let the man go was to send us a warning. We've only figured out it was Brainiac when your companion," he said to Green Lantern, "saw fit to tell us. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is all we know."

"We have to flush him out." It was Wonder Woman who spoke. "If we can take him down now, there will be no attack on Earth, and no threat of losing civilians. We can destroy him quietly, and the world will never even know it was in danger."

The general nodded solemnly. "I agree. From the soldier's eyewitness accounts, we'll be facing drones. The man who came back described them as tin soldiers, although his mental state may have had something to do with his description. Most likely they are as tall as a man, with machinery instead of flesh. We don't actually know what they're capable of, however it is speculated that they are just probes. Brainiac described himself as having 'the strength of a thousand worlds'. I can provide backup, while you go in and take him out. With Superman and Wonder Woman at the forefront of the battle, with the rest of you providing additional support to fight his foot soldiers, we'll be able to kill this bastard. Once that's done, I'd say his army will flee. They are mindless beings, controlled by him and him alone. Any questions?"

"Right. We obviously have to iron out a few details and go over it again, but that is the basis of the plan. Will you be joining us, General?" Superman asked.

A grim smile came over the man in question. "You bet your ass I am. This is our world he chose to attack. As long as you create the dents in the armour, I'll hammer it with every bullet, rocket and soldier I've got."

"Right. Are there any objections?" Green Lantern said. Most of them felt like they had come to an agreement.

It seemed inevitable that Batman wouldn't agree. "Your plan is to go in all guns blazing and hope for the best. That seems doomed to failure."

"Ignoring that," Wonder Woman said, "Are there any **other** objections?"

There weren't, but she could tell that Batman wasn't going to take that lying down. Green Arrow had a look on his face that just screamed 'Well, you've done it now'.

"If you were willing to spend three days looking for me I thought you'd have the common sense to listen to me. You don't strike me as a stupid person, Princess. So why are you acting like it?"

Everyone could tell the tension was rising. The way Batman said 'Princess' was not in a playful or happy way. God, they hoped that nickname didn't stick.

"I'm not. Stupidity is when you argue with a bunch of meta-humans who have come to a consensus. So, tell me, who is the idiot here?"

Superman was about to interrupt, but General Shanks beat him to it. However, he definitely didn't agree with what the man said next.

"All right, that's enough. There's a sparring and training room here, and the pair of you have got to let this stupid crap go. I don't know what happened in Gotham and I don't really care either, but I do care about whether we can work together or not. Are you two going to argue like old women or are you going to sort this out?"

They both looked at him, the two of them surprised by his statement. They weren't the only ones, as Green Arrow and Lantern's eyebrows were raised in quiet anticipation while Flash and Superman looked puzzled by his outburst. Everyone's attention hung on their answer.

"I think that's a great idea," Diana said, an almost evil look crossing her features for a second. "What do you think, _Batman_?"

Before he could respond, Superman interjected. "No, this isn't happening. We're supposed to fight the enemy, not each other. I don't want see either of you in a body cast."

"Shut up, Supes!" Green Lantern said. "This is going to be brilliant!"

"Yeah, let them at each other. Better than listening to them all day," Green Arrow said, wholeheartedly agreeing with his same coloured friend.

"No, we can't-"

"All right then," Batman said, interrupting Superman. "Let's see what you're made of."

Wonder Woman didn't reply, her only response to walk out of the room and towards the training room. Batman soon followed, with Flash, Green Lantern and Arrow in tow, grinning like three little kids. They were looking forward to this.

Superman was about to leave before the general pulled him back. "They need this. If this little argument continues, it'll fester and grow and turn into a time-bomb. If we're going to work together, then we need to get on. Just make sure they don't kill each other."

Superman nodded, before he left for the training room.

* * *

"I've got twenty on Wonder Woman," Green Lantern said. "Apparently she was trained by the God of War, and fought with the finest Amazon warriors in the world. There is no way Batman's beating that."

"I agree," Flash replied. "I just hope she doesn't beat him too badly. I mean, after all, we're teammates now. We can't go beating the crap out of each other whenever we feel like it."

"I got to go with Bats on this one," Green Arrow interjected. "He'll kick her ass, you watch."

"No way is that going to happen. But I'll take your money though."

"We'll see about that. All of you got called up for some reason. Even though he's 'The World's Greatest Detective', there's going to be other reasons for his presence here. He'll show you."

"I still think this is a bad idea," Superman said. "I don't like the fact that the only way we might be able to work together is to kick our heads in first. It doesn't say a lot about us."

"Oh, cheer up, big man. Look, the brawl, I mean, sparring session, is about to begin!"

And indeed it was. It seemed, by silent agreement, that Wonder Woman wouldn't use her strength and Batman wasn't allowed to use his utility belt, at least at first. Those rules would either continue or change depending on how the fight went. It also seemed to be best out of three rounds. First one to ground the other was the winner. Separating, until they were ten metres away from each other, they took their stances.

And then, all of a sudden, they came together as the spar began. Wonder Woman pressed on the attack, throwing most of her blows aimed at Batman's head, hoping for a quick knockout. She was careful not to underestimate him though, which was why she kept her guard up for any counter-attacks he might attempt.

Batman found himself blocking a lot of punches and failing to land any of his own.

He tried to counter with a right cross, but Diana saw it and ducked just in time, avoiding his counter-attack. After a lengthy period with both fighters giving it their all, the spar was turning into a more even contest. However, as Batman repeated his earlier counter-attack, Wonder Woman ducked again and this time she responded in kind, delivering a crushing blow to his abdominals. To his credit he only doubled over for a second, but it proved to be enough as she followed up with a brutal uppercut to his jaw.

He staggered, and Diana started to press the attack viciously, sensing victory. She knew that if she hit him hard enough now, it would continue to affect him in the later rounds. Although he'd held his own, he hadn't managed to land enough match winning punches and it was costing him now.

He knew that too, which was why, instead of trying to dodge the one-two combo she executed, he let it hit him as he went to ground.

The winner was clear. Wonder Woman smirked, however she did offer him a sporting hand up. He had stood his ground honourably, and even if the outcome had been clear and he had been an ass before, she would still respect him enough to offer him a hand up.

He took it, but as he hauled himself to his feet she couldn't resist goading him. "Not as good as you think you are?"

He didn't respond immediately, but she heard his answer when she walked back to take her stance again.

"No. I'm better."

She smiled. May fortune favour the foolish.

"Jesus, I expected her to win, not to thrash him!" Flash exclaimed. "I didn't expect him to go down that easy!"

"I think you may have made a mistake, Arrow," Green Lantern said.

The archer's only reply was: "You just wait. I'd say he's angry now. Probably luring her into a false sense of security. From what I've heard, you don't underestimate or piss off Batman."

"Whatever you say, man, whatever you say."

Back in the fight, they circled each other. Eventually, Diana couldn't take it anymore. With her impatience winning out, she threw a right hook to the Batman's head.

His reaction was instantaneous. Blocking with his forearm, he feinted with his right before delivering a vicious left hook to her jaw. Caught out by his surprise attack, she was similarly unprepared as he pressed his advantage, executing moves that were unfamiliar to her. Reeling back, she began to take as many blows as she blocked.

The heroes watched in amazement as Batman started to fight with a completely unorthodox style. They noticed that his fists were no longer completely closed, allowing him to hit her with a whole different range of attacks.

And hit her he did. Moving with almost unbelievable speed and grace for a man of his size, he executed an almost flawless range of martial arts, making Diana reel back with his aggressive stature. Everyone could see that, although he hadn't necessarily let her beat him in the first round (Even if he had been fighting like he was now, if she managed to land the punches she had before she would have won anyway), he had lured her into a trap that he had just sprung. Using her pride and confidence against her he continued to fight his opponent.

But she could take it. Although she had been tricked and she stumbled back, she was an Amazon. She reasserted herself into the far more even contest between them now, using every single style she had ever been taught. Blow for blow, she tried to match his every move.

Batman kept up his attack, but even he knew he couldn't stay like this forever. She would either get lucky or she would outlast him. Something had to give.

He would just have to cheat.

Breaking apart, they circled each other again. Preparing to attack, they exchanged a few words.

"You're not up to this."

"You're sweating."

Almost smiling, she uttered a battle cry as she charged towards him. In doing so, she failed to see him slip something out of his belt. She also didn't see him spray something onto his knuckles.

Seeing his right arm come forward, she decided to take the blow. Her momentum would carry her forward and through him, and with the speed he was going, there was no way he could dodge her.

He didn't need to.

Everyone heard a loud bang right as Batman's fist connected with her face. She was thrown back across the room, sliding on the floor, signalling her loss of the round.

She was dazed for a few seconds, but she quickly understood what he'd done. The grimace on his face followed by the flexing of his arm told her what had happened. That along with the fact that Green Arrow was grinning like an idiot while the other heroes stood in shock.

"Explosive gel? That's cheating." There was no malice in her voice however. _It was also very clever, _she thought.

"I had to do something. Most people would have fallen after the first few punches. You are an exceptional case." Walking over to her, he reciprocated her earlier gesture, helping her up.

"So," he asked. "Not as good as you think you are?"

"No. I'm better." There wasn't any anger like before though, only respect, as she repeated his earlier words.

Pulling away again, they prepared to fight their final round.

"Right, that's enough!" Superman interrupted, materialising next to them and stopping their progress. "You two are going to end up killing each other!"

Wonder Woman smiled. "Somehow, I don't think that will happen." Extending her hand, she offered Batman a solution. "Draw?"

He looked at her, before shaking her hand. "Draw."

Superman visibly calmed down, realising the two heroes had come to an agreement. "So, you two aren't going to rip each other apart?"

"I think not. Now, if we are finished here, I have to head back to Gotham." Walking past them, he turned to leave.

Before he could however, Wonder Woman called out to him. "When are we doing this again?"

She could have sworn she saw his lips curl up into a smirk, before descending back into the stoic face behind the cowl. "Be here tomorrow. Then we'll see."

He left, as Superman sighed in relief. "Well, that went well."

"I'd say so," Diana agreed. "I think I've got a new sparring partner."

* * *

"So… I guess nobody won the bet?"

Green Arrow's question was left unanswered. Chuckling to himself, he said goodbye to the two heroes, who were still in shock. He wanted to catch Batman before he left.

"Well… I got nothing," Green Lantern said. "I just know I don't want to piss off either of them."

"Yeah… I don't want an angry Amazon or a furious Batman after me. Did you see the way they fought? I think we may win this thing after all."

"So when are we sparring then?" Green Lantern asked.

Flash laughed. "I don't think that's fair. That means Green Arrow's partner is Superman."

"I suppose. I'd kick your ass anyway."

"Meet me here after all this crap is done… if we're not all dead. Then I'll show you."

* * *

Superman was preparing to leave. He wanted to absorb the day's events and there was no shortage of them. Most pressing on his mind was how the team were getting on. As a whole the unit seemed to be functioning well, which would be indefinitely boosted with the fact that Batman and Wonder Woman were no longer trying to rip their heads off. Green Lantern and Flash seemed to be getting on well, while Wonder Woman and Green Arrow got on with everyone.

And then there was Batman. Superman had no idea what to think about him. He was indisputably a brilliant fighter, with further evidence presented with his bout with Diana. He also seemed to have a mind with genius deducing and detective skills. The problem was that they were already on the pages on the files about him. The whole point of a team, he believed, was to get to know each other and work better at a result. Batman only seemed to care about the mission and not them. He wasn't interested in working with them long-term or getting to know the group.

His musings were interrupted as General Shanks joined him. "What are you thinking about son?" he asked.

"Not much," he admitted. "Just wondering about this team. I've got to ask… how in the world did you convince the government to go for this?"

"It wasn't easy," he said. "But they know, we know, what is coming. We can't just ignore it and hope for the best. And you're our best shot. In reality, the world looks up to you, not to us. When things go to crap, they'll look to the hero flying in the sky, not a soldier with a gun."

"I'd argue with that. I've seen many people who believe in America's military." He sighed, however. "I see your point though. I just… sometimes I feel like the world I live in is made of glass. If I lose control, just for a second, I'm afraid I'll break something, no,** someone**. I can't imagine letting me loose with a bunch of super-powered heroes behind me was something the world's politicians went for."

"I hear that. I also see that you're worrying about how the team's getting on. My advice? Let them fight it out if they want. It's early days yet. I remember my first term in the army. The guy in charge was an asshole. But when we were out there, on the battlefield… he held us together. And I realised… you were either made to be a leader or you weren't. It doesn't matter if you disagree with someone behind the scenes, it's on the front lines where it matters. The only people who leave someone behind are proper shitheads, and, in that case, you're better off without them."

Letting the superhero take in his words, he left him with one last parting sentence: "I believe everyone on this team has their issues, but I don't believe any of them are shitheads."

Superman considered his words, already feeling better about their chances.

* * *

"Hey Bats! Batman! Wait up!"

The man in question looked around to see the Emerald Archer, currently running after him. He seemed to want something. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious, however he also had to return to Gotham for his patrol. Tim wouldn't wait forever, and knowing him, he'd attempt to go out without his mentor. He did feel a bit of pride in the fact that he would do the exact same thing where he in the young lad's shoes, however he wasn't Batman. Besides, he'd always worry about him if he wasn't beside him when they worked. Shaking his thoughts aside, he decided to find out what the man wanted.

"Arrow. Make it quick. I have to get back to Gotham."

"Yeah, I know. Just… well done in the fight! Knew you'd surprise them."

That wasn't what the archer wanted to discuss and Batman knew it. "What is it really? You clearly didn't come here to congratulate my fighting prowess, so what do you want? Spit it out."

He looked uncomfortable. "Eh… ok, well, it's not that I can't fight, like I could hold my own against you and-"

"Get to the point." The impatience was already evident in the Batman's voice.

"Right. I just wanted to ask you… where did you learn all those techniques? I know a good few of them, but a couple of the others… I've never seen them before."

"What are you familiar with?"

"Well… I know karate, obviously. I'm also proficient with judo, jujutsu, aikido and taekwondo. Most of the Japanese and Korean styles really. I'm not bad with bare knuckle boxing either, I suppose."

"And you want me to teach them to you?"

"I wouldn't say teach, just… well, everyone here has something here that sets them apart from the other vigilantes and heroes we hear of. Superman is… well, Superman. Flash can run. Lantern can make stuff with a ring, you know? The only thing I really have to fall back on is my archery. I'm not going to lie; I'm fantastic with a bow. I'm not even being arrogant, it's just a fact. You could hang me upside down with a blindfold on and chop one of my arm's off and I'd still hit the target. But apart from that… I don't feel like I'm needed here. Like the only reason I'm here is to remind them that there are humans out there and to keep them honest. And no, before you ask, I'm not some lost little pup that needs guidance. I just want to learn how to fight a bit better. Always room for improvement, yeah?"

Batman nodded. "I suppose we could spar a bit from time. But only if I've got time."

Green Arrow grinned. "Don't worry, I don't want to interrupt your… _sessions _with Wonder Woman."

Batman's eyes narrowed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't."

Batman sighed. This guy seemed alright, apart from the fact that he should keep his mouth shut more often. "Is there anything else?"

"Yeah, there is. Do you agree with us charging in there with all guns blazing? Because it sure as hell looked to me that you won't be joining us on our little field trip."

"I'm not."

"And then of course you and Diana argued… wait what?"

"I'm not going." His voice seemed final.

"What'd you mean you're not going? We're a team now. You can't just leave us," he said. "You've settled your differences with Diana, you agreed to help, so why not?"

"Because my gut feeling says it is not going to work, and when you're a detective, you learn to trust that feeling. Think about it. We go in firing, then what? We either win or we don't. What happens if we lose? Earth's best chance of winning this war dies."

"Then our chances would be improved if you were there!" Green Arrow exclaimed. "Come on, we have to win this!"

Batman was getting tired of the conversation. Leaning in, he looked directly into the archer's eyes. "I will watch from a distance. If it looks like you are losing, then I will try to pull your sorry asses out of there. I am a **part-time member**. I don't **have **to do anything, and I answer to no one here. Is that clear?"

Arrow could have kept up the argument, but he knew it would be pointless. No amount of persuading from himself, or anyone, would convince him to join them on their little escapade to save the world. Sighing, he replied:

"Right, I get it, you're not coming. But if we are losing, I hope the man inside that suit will do the decent thing and get us out of there. Because, as you said, if we do die, then the Earth does too. I hope you remember that."

"Always."

* * *

**So, another week, another chapter. The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that I announced one of the pairings in this fic (BMWW). They might not necessarily fall in love with each other at the end (There'll definitely be affection and such. I'm just not that keen on 'love at first sight'. I'm a guy, can you blame me?) however I do have an idea for a sequel to this story. If this one does well enough, I'll probably write it up. Hell, I'll probably do it anyway. My rule is that for every story I ever do, I'll have a different villain from every hero's rogue gallery. Like Joker for Batman, Ares for Wonder Woman etc. I also want to address what Lloyd RPG fan said to me, and they had some good advice. There will be some more female presences in the story, the reason they aren't here yet is because it's plot-related. They'll show, don't worry.  
**

**Anyway, enough of the future and back to the present. Thanks to everyone that reviewed and followed, I get a good buzz from reading them. And if you haven't, go on. I won't hold it against you, I promise. It makes my day to see what you guys think. The next chapter might not be next week, as I'm doing my tests that week. If it isn't it'll definitely be up the week after.  
**

**Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4: A God Bleeds

Chapter 4: A God Bleeds

Wonder Woman grunted as she turned, blocking her opponent's attack with her forearm before she attempted a right uppercut to his jaw. Batman however saw it coming, as he backed up just in time, escaping her reach by a whisker as he felt the air move a centimetre away from his face. They continued in this way, both fighters only managing to get the better of each other for a second before they were thrown back into the very even match between them.

Both were disappointed when the alarm went, signalling their reserved time was over. Sitting on one of the benches and enjoying her bottle of water, Diana said:

"Another draw? This is starting to become a regular thing. You should really just give up and admit I'm better than you." She spoke with a laugh in her throat, as she guzzled on her water greedily.

Batman smirked. "I think it's pretty impressive that a mortal man in a batsuit can stand his ground against an immortal Amazon. Ever think of giving me a little credit?"

She smiled. "I think that would be a bad idea. Your ego is already bigger than Bill Gates' bank account. Wouldn't want to contribute to your arrogance."

"Speak for yourself, Princess. I still remember the face on you when I put you on the ground in Gotham. Disbelief simply doesn't cut it."

"Okaaay… I don't like to interrupt but I think I reserved the training room now? Well, Bats and I did anyway."

Green Arrow stood at the entrance, taking in the sight before him. Batman had agreed to show him some of the moves he'd used on Diana in their first fight, and although the archer wouldn't call it teaching, it did give him valuable insight into how he, and others, fought. He'd already made sure that he had hired the best trainers all around the world so that when they were done with their current ordeal, he could surpass his original goals and progress further than he would have imagined. His experiences with the Justice League so far had taught him that there was always room for improvement.

Him and Batman had been sparring for a few times in the week since they'd all come together. He wouldn't say much, but he could tell he was getting better. And considering he was already pretty good to begin with, that was saying something.

He watched Wonder Woman leave the training room. She didn't seem to despise the Caped Crusader like she used to, and in its place was quiet respect. He could tell that Batman returned the favour, as he had silently told him something in one of their sparring matches.

Batman didn't just give respect, it had to be **earned.**

Walking over to the man, he found himself curious. He still had a couple of questions.

"So, you know the way this assault is actually happening, tomorrow, and you still haven't-"

"No, I haven't changed my mind."

Rude and impolite. He must have been in a good mood, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered answering.

"Alright. I'm just wondering… if we do fail, who'd you think will miss us? Because-"

"The last drill we did. Now."

They continued sparring for a considerable time, until the Dark Knight and the Emerald Archer had to part ways, presumably to do their patrols. On the way out, Green Arrow had a thought.

_It wouldn't surprise me if he was a machine._

* * *

The ground was still as he walked. His soldiers barely took any notice, but then again it would surprise him if they did. He could appear as anything to them and he'd still get the same reaction. He looked up at the sky.

It was cloudy. Just how he liked it. It would obscure anyone's vision if they flew overhead. He went back to his principal command centre, as his presence seemed to fill the entire room. He thought about the world he was currently in, and how quick it would be before it crumbled. The introduction of these superheroes would buy them time, no doubt, but he had all the time in the world. Leaning back, he thought about their inevitable intervention.

Superman was their heaviest hitter, no doubt. Ironically he was the strongest and the weakest of all of them, as a simple substance would easily bring him to his knees. A substance that he admittedly had a lack of, but it wouldn't matter. Every man had their weaknesses, some were just harder to find than others. This Justice League would rely on him too much, and when he would fall they would be easily defeated.

Next was the Amazon. She was second in strength only to Superman, and she didn't share his distaste for Kryptonite. No matter, her pride and arrogance would be her downfall. Although she had been in 'Man's World' for a year or two, the majority of her fighting had been against her own sisters. He knew every type of fighting, and he had the strength to back them up. She would be no match for him.

Flash would represent a problem, however there was an easy solution. He may have been able to defeat his enemies with sheer speed, but his own reactions would be sharp enough to catch the man's blows. And he couldn't fly. His power would be useless if he couldn't stop him from destroying his planet.

He'd faced Green Lantern's before and this one was no different. Although the ones he had killed were 'Frontier Lanterns' that received their training from their own rings, a little extra training wouldn't save this one. Their power rings were the same, and no amount of will could stop him.

And that brought him to perhaps the most interesting one. The normal mortal who armed himself with a few toys and called himself a hero because of it. The man dressed in black who had been asked to join a company of gods and aliens. He was intriguing, and although he seemed weak, he must have been called up for some reason.

No, he wouldn't underestimate him. Or any of them, for that matter. His probes had spied on a Green Lantern giving Earth's plan to the present one in that sector, and since then he had pulled his troops back, in preparation for what was to come. Earth would just be the beginning. Soon the whole galaxy would face him, and all who opposed him would be destroyed.

_Brainiac,_ they called him. Let them have their insolent nicknames. Nothing would save them in the end, not even a Justice League.

* * *

Batman walked through the hallways, about to leave for Gotham. He had the Batwing on standby, ready for when the Justice League set off for their suicidal mission. Although some of their traits were stupid, arrogant and sinful, he had to admit they were a formidable group to face. The Government had wanted to form a team of the most powerful individuals on the planet, and they had certainly succeeded.

Even so, it still wouldn't be enough.

The problem with their plan was that there were too many unknown variables. For a start, they were attacking Brainiac in his own base, on his home turf. They would be treading on unfamiliar territory, and that would prove to be an advantage for the invader. Next, they had only known each other for a week. This company was meant to be refined and strong, not a rag-tag team of the superfriends.

As he approached his plane however, he realised he had a visitor.

"What is it, General?" He could tell it was the military man by the way he walked. He always moved with purpose.

"Batman, I would like a word. About the fact that you apparently won't be joining us."

Batman turned. _Did Green Arrow tell him,_ he wondered. Funny, he thought the archer would stay quiet on this occasion.

The man saw his look. "No, nobody told me. They didn't have to. We've had three meetings so far and you've objected to the plan in every one."

"And you've come to stop me?"

"No," he said, walking up to him. "I've come to ask you a favour."

His hands, which were usually clasped behind his back, unfolded to reveal the contents in his hands. They were folders, like the ones he and undoubtedly the entire team had been given.

"Right now I am breaking so many orders from my superiors right now for showing you these. Hell, I'll be breaking a lot more when I give them to you. So listen."

Continuing, he said: "As you know, I was ordered to help assemble a group of extraordinary people to save ourselves. I was also told the team had to be strong enough to stand up to Brainiac. But there was a compromise. You see, as you probably noticed, Green Arrow wasn't picked for this company. The Justice League was supposed to be comprised of five, **only **five, of the greatest heroes of our age."

Sighing, he revealed his revelation. "The reason for that was so it could be disbanded quickly after this business was met with a solution. You see, while the world's politicians need you right now, they don't **want **you. They are scared and afraid of what you are capable of. That's the reason there was supposed to be only five of you, the reason why all these heroes," he said, tapping the files in his hands, "weren't approached. The stronger you are, the more they fear you. While everyone else sees you as protectors and saviours, they see a potential threat. They have several contingency plans, even if they aren't competent to execute them, in case you decide the world needs a change in government. In case you become dishonest."

Batman's eyes narrowed. He knew some people disapproved of the whole notion of heroism and vigilantes, there were several shows broadcasting each day discussing and debating the topic. But, in face of extinction, he would have thought they would have the common sense to get as much help as they could.

"In case, I don't come back, or hell, if all of us don't come back, this is plan B. There probably isn't enough time to recruit all of them, but it's a better back-up plan than the alternative. Best to get the ones that are local. Faster that way."

The Dark Knight took the files from him, flipping through the pages as he did so. A few names he recognised from the news and one he personally knew caught his eye. Black Canary, Nightwing, Hawkgirl… the list went on. Turning back to the military man, he asked:

"Are you giving me these because you don't think you'll come back? And in that case, why are you going through with this plan?"

The General shook his head. "Why'd you think I approved it? We take Brainiac out, the League disbands and the public never knows what happened. I think we've got a good chance of beating him with the people we've got, but it never hurts to be prepared."

Batman nodded, taking the folders with him as he left for his vehicle. The general turned to leave also, but as hed did he heard the man utter one last sentence to him.

"Good luck."

* * *

It was the allotted time they had agreed on. The greatest superheroes in the world, bar one, were currently gathered at the meeting room. There was an unspoken question in the air, one they had felt had already been answered, but it was asked nevertheless.

"So, I guess spooky isn't coming," Green Lantern said, breaking the silence.

"No, I don't think he is," Green Arrow replied. They could tell he was in serious mood. The archer's usual relaxed and chatty demeanour was nowhere to be seen, and in its place was a quiet sincerity, rivalling that of the man currently the centre of conversation.

"Well, we can't wait," Wonder Woman announced. "With or without him, we need to go. We can't just stop because he chose not to show."

"Agreed," Superman said. "It's a shame, but we have a duty to the world. We have to go through with this."

"Then it's settled," General Shanks replied. "Arrow, you can take a ride with me and my men. The rest of you have your own way of getting there, don't you?"

They all nodded. Flash had something on his mind though. "How much help are we getting, exactly?"

"I have several squads ready for our assault. They are prepared to fight and die for the cause. Preferably, I want as few deaths as possible. These are good men and women, and they're the best we've got. I don't want to have to tell any young girls or boys that mommy or daddy isn't coming home. I think my soul breaks every time I have to do it."

His last sentence was a sober one, but it also served as motivation. Rising from their seats, Flash announced what the entire team had been thinking. "Then it's our job to make sure you don't have to. Lantern, Arrow and I can help you deal with the army. Wonder Woman and Superman can go in head-first and take out Brainiac personally."

"That sounds like a plan. And whatever happens… it's been an honour serving with you."

As they exited, Green Arrow getting into a vehicle with Shanks, Wonder Woman, Superman and Green Lantern taking flight, and Flash getting ready to stretch his legs, they were unaware of a certain plane watching them, shadowing them as they started their assault.

* * *

They came to the veil, as it distorted and made their vision unclear. The experience was surreal, the scene looking real but they knew it wasn't. It flickered in the night, the darkness tricking their eyesight. Collectively taking a deep breath, the unit forged on as one, delving deeper into the night.

They came through the veil, as the real sight was presented before them. A single soldier stood, presumably on lookout. An arrow pierced its head as its system went out in a shower of sparks, the light going out of its eyes.

The plan was to go in stealthy, but as soon as the drone dropped, all the other soldiers rigidly stood up, as if they had suddenly been given new orders. Then, as one, they marched towards their fallen comrade.

"Maybe they won't notice," Green Arrow whispered hopefully. Unfortunately, that statement was soon proven negative. The drones suddenly opened fire in the direction of the archer's voice.

"Or maybe not."

Letting out a battle cry, the heroes charged out of their hiding spots. The initial scouts were decimated by the superior force, however they knew this victory was short-lived. The real battle was about to begin. Brainiac's army poured out of his ship, a gargantuan piece of metal hulking on the ground. Against the backdrop of the night sky it looked ugly, out of place and wrong.

Drones were disappearing in a blur as the Flash went to work, and the ones he missed were being smashed by Green Lantern's construct of a hammer. The ground soldiers were engaging General Shank's troops, with the support of Green Arrow, who strung so many arrows it looked like they were raining from the sky.

But the machines were equally as endless, fighting back with as much as they could muster. And under Brainiac's orders, that was a lot. They pushed back the human's assault, firing with equal fervour. For every drone to go down there was a soldier to match them. General Shanks and his forces were fighting valiantly, but they knew that if Brainiac wasn't dealt with, it wouldn't be enough.

Superman and Wonder Woman knew this too, as they flew over all the chaos to the ship. It was time to face the invader.

They tore down the doors, destroying anything in their way. Wonder Woman hacked and moved with unbelievable grace, slicing off drone's heads and making a nuisance of herself. Superman's power was near unstoppable, blasting anything that came into his sight.

"Where do you think he is?" Diana asked. She looked over the mechanical bodies strewn on the ground.

"The Command Centre, I'd guess. We should split up and search for him."

"Don't bother."

The panel of the ceiling of the room opened, to reveal a figure that seemed to float down onto the ground. He was dark, before he stepped into the light.

He was huge. He almost looked robot-like, bar his bald green head at the top of his body. He spoke as if he was disinterested, like the two heroes in front of him were nothing but bugs that had yet to meet his boot. His black armour glinted in the light.

"You have accomplished nothing by coming here. Don't amplify your pain. Surrender now, and the planet's destruction will be quick."

Superman didn't answer, instead choosing to reply by launching himself at him. Wonder Woman followed suit, sword in hand, ready to impale the tyrant.

His surprise was evident when Brainiac barely moved, instead electing to extend his arm to simply catch the Man of Steel, grabbing his head. Raising his other hand, he swatted Wonder Woman like she was nothing more than an annoying fly, sending her crashing through the side of the room.

"Kryptonian. You fight for a planet which is not your own, and you insist on this suicidal course of action. Let me guide you on your path. The sacrificial lamb to the slaughter."

Superman was about to reply with a witty retort, however before he could he was slammed into the wall. Brainiac started to squeeze, hoping to crush his head like a grape.

_Not going to happen._

He unleashed his x-ray vision, burning Brainiac. The metal in the behemoth could take extreme amounts of heat, but even he couldn't maintain his hold. Instead, he threw him into the accompanying wall.

Both were ready to engage in a bout of fisticuffs, however, before they could, Superman saw a blade protrude out of the hulking tyrant's chest. He noticed it too, but instead of showing any pain, he simply tugged at the sword, pulling it through his own chest and making Diana stumble. Without even turning round, he grabbed her head and threw her down next to the Man of Steel.

"Your attempts to hurt me are pathetic. I have the strength of a thousand worlds, and I am the perfect fusion of technology and flesh. I have destroyed hundreds of civilisations, and I have the power to make **GODS BLEED!**"

He aimed the swipe of his sword at Wonder Woman, who was currently in a dazed state, as a result of smashing through two walls repeatedly. Superman moved to block the blow, but he couldn't dodge it. The blade slashed across his face, forming a bloody cut across his cheek.

It dripped down to his lips. It had been a while since he'd bled like that. He would heal, but that wasn't at the forefront of his attention. He was solely focused on the figure currently looming over him.

He tackled him, sending the machine sprawling across the ground. Before he could get up he delivered a crushing blow to his head, making Brainiac reel. He was dazed only for a moment though, and he responded with a kick to Superman's stomach, sending him off of him.

They exchanged a few blows, getting a feel for the others fighting style. The battle was starting to even out, before Wonder Woman joined, sword in hand, tilting the battle to the heroes side.

They separated for a minute, and that proved to be their mistake.

Brainiac smiled, for the very first time in their encounter, before wires from the top of his ship connected to his head. The heroes could feel the hum of the power coursing through their foe, imbuing him with new strength. They charged once again, with renewed effort, but he swatted them aside, into the now ruined wall. Rubble rained around them. Brainiac resumed his assault on Superman, hitting him repeatedly to the head. Diana tried to rise but stumbled, before the cyborg in front of her threw Superman at her.

"Your arrogance knows no bounds. You think you can walk into my ship, my turf, and defeat me. You presume too much."

His fist reared back, ready to deal a shattering blow to the Last Son of Krypton. Wonder Woman scrambled to get in the way, to return the favour.

She didn't need to.

Something had been thrown at him, and although it hadn't hit, he'd been forced to catch it, distracting him from his current goal. Annoyed, he turned to face this new opponent.

Batman stood at the entrance to the ship, batarang in hand, ready and primed. The momentary distraction allowed Wonder Woman to move Superman out and away from Brainiac, meaning she could access his physical state. He was alive, but although he wasn't unconscious, he would need a couple of minutes to recover.

Meanwhile, Brainiac spoke directly to Batman: "You prefer to die with them? If that is your wish, then I shall grant it."

* * *

The battle wasn't going well. Soldiers were falling as the machines pressed them back. They knew that if not for the meta-humans currently aiding them, they would undoubtedly be dead by now. Green Lantern flew overhead, providing air-support for any marine in a tight spot. Each time a new wave of drones swarmed into the battle, Flash was there to snuff out the threat.

Green Arrow was in the thick of the battle, fighting like a demon. Whereas most of the soldiers were firing beyond cover, he was right in the middle of the fight. He rolled under the machines feet, using his bow as a melee and a long-range weapon. Whenever it seemed like he would get overwhelmed, he simply moved out of the way, luring as many drones as he could away from his allies.

It was a good idea at first, but it seemed like he was paying for it now. He was surrounded, and even he couldn't dodge their fire forever. Finally, he took a hit to the shoulder. He hadn't actually been shot, but the machine's blows hurt. He stumbled, before hitting the ground.

"Lantern! I could use some help!"

The man in question saw his friend in trouble, but even as he raced towards him he knew he wouldn't be able to get there in time.

Fortunately, a black plane materialised right above the archer, taking aim and decimating the force around him with one blast. Its pilot dropped down to personally provide his assistance. Between the three heroes, the threat to Green Arrow's life was soon destroyed.

"So, you came back? Glad you could join the party," Arrow said, as they rejoined the fight.

"Yeah, better late than never," Green Lantern added.

"What's the situation with Wonder Woman and Superman?" he inquired, as he took out another drone.

"They went in there about fifteen minutes ago," Flash provided. "Haven't seen them since."

"Alright, I'm going in. Get ready to call a retreat. We can't keep this up much longer. Arrow, you're with me."

"Are you telling me how to do my job?!" General Shanks roared. "You ain't in charge!"

"We don't have time to argue. If we stay here, we all die. Followed by Earth. There is a time for us to be heroes, dying for what's right. Now is not one of those times."

There was silence, before they heard a sigh over the comm. "All right. We'll withdraw slowly. If we can reach the veil, Brainiac won't follow us."

"Green Lantern! I'm going to need your assistance, since Green Arrow and I can't fly."

"I got you Bats."

The general watched them go, and he caught the arm of Flash before he could run off. "When I give the order, transport me to the ship. I can take it from there."

* * *

Batman reached them just in time. The room they were fighting in was relatively close to the entrance, but two pathways led to it. Green Arrow went one way, while the Dark Knight went the other. He was currently standing before Brainiac, batarang in hand, primed and ready.

"You prefer to die with them? If that is your wish, then I shall grant it."

He charged at the Dark Knight, batting aside the batarang he'd thrown at him. Batman rolled to the side, desperately trying to duck and evade his foe. He was no match for Brainiac, and both of them knew it.

Batman pivoted, throwing himself to the side, but he couldn't avoid him forever. The next time Brainiac swung he was caught with the back of his arm and he was sent crashing back into the wall. He barely had time to recover before Brainiac picked him up by the head.

"Human. Your attempt to conceal your face is pathetic. No one hides from me."

He began to pull at the mask covering his face, and even though he flinched when the electric shocks from the cowl coursed through his hand, he had no trouble pulling it off.

"Your identity means nothing to me. Your soon to be dead teammates may appreciate it though."

Superman was still lying dazed on the floor, but Batman could see the shock in his eyes as he took in the appearance of the man still encompassed in Brainiac's grip. Wonder Woman eyes were bulging, her mouth open in stunned silence. Because she wasn't looking at Batman anymore.

She was looking at the face that belonged to Bruce Wayne.

Her surprise didn't last however. A cold rage came across her features as she rose up from the rubble, determined to take the invader out. Her approach was stunted however as Brainiac issued his threat.

"One more step and he dies. Your time will come in due course."

She looked furious, but she complied. For now, at least.

Brainiac suddenly smiled as he felt a stinging sensation before he turned back to Batman. He was still held up by him, but his hands were free, allowing him to access the interface on his wrist. Brainiac laughed.

"You attempt to hack me? Do you want to see my strength? Then I shall let you see it."

Suddenly the cyborg threw the man through the wall as the rubble rained down on him. Wonder Woman charged but Brainiac met her halfway, which instigated a grappling match between the two. Despite her determination, she felt her knees give way as they struggled.

She suddenly had an advantage though when an arrow imbedded itself into Brainiac's forehead. It exploded after a second, making the behemoth reel back, and she took the initiative, delivering a crushing blow to the machine's head. He fell as Diana and Arrow seemed to come to a silent agreement. Notching another arrow, Green Arrow took aim at Brainiac while Wonder Woman rushed to Batman's side.

"Your weapons are primitive, archer. Let me show you how to cause pain."

Green Arrow's accuracy never wavered, but it seemed that his best would not be enough against him. Every time he fired at the machine his projectiles were either swatted aside or merely caught. It was inevitable that he'd lose, and he knew it. He was fast running out of arrows, and a bow wouldn't even come close to harming him.

He was knocked back as Brainiac advanced. He was out of luck and out of tricks. Closing his eyes, he prepared himself for the final blow.

"You will NOT harm them!" Again Superman rose, recovered from the dazed state Brainiac had inflicted on him. His eyes glowed red with rage, his fists clenching.

"Kryptonion. Twice I have put you down, and twice you have risen again. You will interfere no more."

They came together as they clashed, fists pounding against each other as they fought. Brainiac's strength seemed endless, but Superman would not give up, determined to stop his foe. They separated again, but this time Superman offered him no respite, engaging him in combat again before Brainiac could prepare himself for his next assault. Seeing this, Brainiac decided to try a new tactic.

"You are strong enough to face me. But what about them?" he said, pointing to Wonder Woman and Batman.

Superman's only response was to freeze his hand.

"Very well."

He walked towards them, but Superman was determined to intervene. He grabbed his arm, before he saw the wires come towards the warlord's head, ready to strengthen him. He couldn't let that happen.

He realised his plans too late.

A thousand volts coursed through his veins as Superman took hold of the cable, and his pain was amplified as all the other wires attached themselves to him. He cried out, nearly unable to stand it. Eventually it subsided, but Brainiac didn't let up. He offered him no quarter, and this time he would make sure he wouldn't interfere any more.

He hit him hard in the stomach before delivering a vicious uppercut. Then, he grabbed hold of his legs and smashed him into the side of the ship. He did it repeatedly, even as it started to dent. Eventually a hole was visible in the side of the vessel.

"You will die after. But for now, sit tight in a crater."

And with that, swinging the Man of Steel over his shoulder, he threw him out the side of the ship.

With that he turned back to Green Arrow, Wonder Woman and Batman in triumph. "You really don't stand a chance now."

He advanced on them, but Green Arrow separated from them and shot an arrow he'd missed with earlier. Looking down at Wonder Woman still trying to remove all the rubble from her teammate, he decided to focus on the Emerald Archer.

Diana strained to lift all the wreckage pinned on Bruce. He was conscious, and he didn't seem to be particularly hurt, but he was pinned to the ground, unable to move. Their predicament was worsened when Green Arrow was thrown at them. He was bleeding, and he was knocked out cold.

"Flash?! Flash! Get Arrow out of here!" Wonder Woman shouted frantically. "We need to retreat!"

She knew he was on his way, but even the fastest man in the world needed time. She stepped forward but Brainiac manoeuvred her out of the way. With that he hit her back behind a console.

"You look like you could use some help."

"Shanks? What are you doing here?!" she asked. She noticed that Green Arrow was gone.

"Making sure you get out. Come on."

"We can't. Batman's still there, and he's in trouble," she said, pointing to the man sprawled on the floor opposite them.

Brainiac towered over him. "Beg for mercy, human. Beg for your life."

"Go to hell," he responded. "I've faced far worse than you."

Wonder Woman stepped forward, but General Shanks put a restraining hand on her arm. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "He'll be killed!"

"So will you," he replied, as the man slowly got up. "When I distract him, get him and run."

"No… no, we find another way," she said. "I'm not letting you get killed."

"Wonder Woman… Diana… sometimes there is no third option. You can't save them all. The world needs him more than it needs me." Breaking off one the chains hung around his neck, his dog tags, he said: "Tell my wife and kids I love them."

She tried to tell him to stop, to wait, but he wouldn't hear it. Coming out of cover, he armed his assault rifle and aimed at him.

"Brainiac!" His words rang out around the room. "Face me!"

The behemoth turned and smiled. "Mortal man. You are in the company of gods and aliens. Show some respect."

"You plan to take our world?! Then you're gonna have to go throw every goddamn human on the planet! You hear me?! We will never give up!" he roared, firing his assault rifle at the monster.

The bullets bounced harmlessly off him as Brainiac approached Shanks. With one hand he easily disarmed him while, with the other, he pushed him back. The single motion slammed him into the wall. Blood sprang out of the man's mouth but he refused to give up, drawing his pistol and firing until the magazine was spent. Brainiac watched him, amused by his actions. After the last shot rang out, he pulled him to his feet.

"You die here," he said, before he plunged his fist through the general's chest, his hand emerging through his back with his still beating heart audible. Wonder Woman and Batman watched with stunned and horrified silence as he brought his hand back through the man's body. They looked at him with hatred, before fleeing as Batman clung to her as she soared through the gaping hole in the ship. Brainiac, in contrast, just smirked.

"Run, little heroes," he commanded. "Run!"

* * *

**So… yeah, I wrote that... death scene. Definitely the hardest chapter to write so far. I thought about having like a filler chapter here instead of this, like the calm before the storm, but I decided against it. The mood is going to be sombre in the next chapter to say the least, so I wanted to have as much action as possible. What did you think?**

**There's a few things I want to address. A lot of you requested it, and to prove I do listen to you, there will be more female characters emerging. I'm not going to go ape-shit and just get every woman out there, as this is kind of the intro story and I don't want to use up all of my ideas at the start. Black Canary's a definite, and if Hawkgirl isn't in this story she'll definitely be in the next.**

**And yeah, the heroes now know Batman is Bruce Wayne. I could have had some complex story arc about how they learn who he is, but I simply don't have the time to write it and incorporate into the plot. Besides, I'd rather they learn this way than him taking his mask off at the end and going "Hi guys, I'm Batman!" (It would take a hell of an event for him to willingly tell them his identity, and this way he can still be the ass-kicking ball of anger and angst we all know and love). Besides, it's not as if they'll be able to hide their identities from him.  
**

**So, what did you think? Like it? Loathe it? It would be great if you clicked that little review button there and tell me what you think. And thank you to everyone who favourite, followed and reviewed! I love it when people say they enjoy it. I write these for you, after all!**

**Until next time!**


	5. Chapter 5: Fallout

Chapter 5: Fallout

* * *

The heroes sat silently round the table. They had agreed they would talk after Green Arrow recovered from his head injury and Flash had transported the surviving soldiers to their homes. It was depressing how few had come out alive. The fallen would be left in unmarked graves, lost and forgotten, and that was the best case scenario. At worst, their bodies would be on the battlefield and left to rot. It all really depended on whether Brainiac liked his camp to be clean or not.

Batman was in his usual stoic stature, his face portraying nothing, but his eyes showed quiet contemplation, reinforcing his belief that everyone was a step away from having their life taken away. Wonder Woman was leaning on the side of the wall for support. It wasn't that she hadn't seen people die before. She'd seen death a hundred times. No, it was the fact that someone, somewhere had just lost their husband, and their kids would never see Daddy again. Superman eyes were focused squarely on the floor. In truth he was a bit angry, not at his teammates but at himself. They had needed him, and he'd let them down. Green Lantern's vision shifted from person to person, eyeing them in awkward silence. He didn't really have much to say, and a joke now would be in poor taste and it would piss off three superheroes. So he said nothing.

Eventually Green Arrow and Flash rejoined them. They too looked downcast and sombre. They sat, and looked around the room. It was some time before any of them spoke.

"Well, we got our asses kicked," Green Arrow said. He hated the quiet. These people always had something to say, and to hear nothing was… unsettling.

"Yeah, that's the gist of it," Green Lantern replied. Again no one wanted to speak.

Flash broke the silence however. "The General ordered me to move him to you as soon as he signalled. I'm presuming he's dead but… what happened in there?"

Superman sighed. "Wonder Woman and I went in there to confront Brainiac. We figured we could take him out, end the threat on Earth, chalk one up for the good guys. But it didn't happen. He could probably tell we hadn't trained as a team for long. He threw us around like we were rag-dolls at the start. Then, just as the fight started to even out, just as we were pressing the advantage…"

Looking at him, Wonder Woman decided to take over. "Just as we were starting to win, he stepped back and… I don't know, these wires strapped themselves to his head. We could almost feel him getting stronger. The power of the entire ship at his fingertips. We tried to stop him but… we couldn't. Again he knocked us back and then Br- Batman entered the fight. Managed to distract him long enough for Superman to rise."

She mentally cursed herself with her near slip. Bruce had explained as she flew him back (which was an awkward experience. Although he was required to, he had to wrap his arms around while appearing threatening. Which made it funnier, if anything.) that his secret identity kept the people he cared about safe. The fewer people who knew, the better.

Continuing on, and with an unhappy look on Superman's face, she said: "Brainiac tricked him. Electrocuted him with the wires that attached themselves to his head. With that, he literally threw him out of the ship. I was trying to free Batman from the rubble Brainiac had thrown him in, and Green Arrow had made his entrance by then, before he nearly got his head knocked off. And then… Shanks came in. He refused to let me fight Brainiac again. Said we had to survive, that we were more important than him. So he distracted him, gave me time to get Batman and get out of there. And, as I looked back… all I saw was the general's limp body hung over Brainiac's bloody fist. He punched right through him."

Taking one last sigh, she ended her memory of the event. "Ironic. The man with the gun saved the superheroes."

The recollection was bad enough, but the way Diana told it, with so much sadness, made it even worse. Shanks was a good man, and he didn't deserve to die so brutally.

"God, that's… All right, this bastard needs to die," Green Lantern said. He spoke with the most conviction his teammates had ever heard in the time they had known him.

"Agreed," Flash said. "So, what do we do next?"

"I have an idea." It was Batman who spoke. "You may not like it though."

"Whatever it is, it can't be that bad," Superman remarked. "Say it."

"Well, firstly, I attempted to hack into Brainiac's computers back there in the assault. He noticed me right away, but instead of repelling me, he let me in. A show of strength, to intimidate us, no doubt. But he made a mistake. He showed me the layout of his ship, and…" he paused, "where he is going to strike."

Wide-eyed with intrigue, the heroes listened intently to his next words. "His hit list includes Gotham, Metropolis, New York, London, Beijing… it goes on. I have no idea where he'll attack first, but these five were studied in particular."

"Okay… well if we know where he's going to pop up first, then that's a good thing, right?" Green Arrow asked. "I mean, what's so bad about that? We can cut him off if we know where he is."

"I'll get to the negative in a minute. But another assault is impractical. That wasn't his mistake. He showed me what he wanted me to see. We don't have the forces for a full frontal fight. I hacked into the general's communications with the president and…"

"You what?!" Flash exclaimed, while the others looked at him in shock. That was illegal!

"Yes, I did. And it only reinforced what Shanks told me before your mission. They may need us, but they don't want us. They're afraid. Of us, of what we can do. Shanks had to call in a lot of favours just to get us the troops the first time. I highly doubt they would be so giving a second time."

"Right. And he told you what exactly?"

"A lot of interesting things. Has anyone noticed that all of us were headhunted, all of us were in the files, **apart **from Green Arrow?"

"Jeez, I feel so loved," was the archer's retort.

"Yet, in the folder the general handed to me, he's in there. A full bio of his usual haunts, his modus operandi, even his enemies. And that's not all. A vast quantity were selected. So, why weren't they asked?"

Any answer they might have given was quickly drowned out as he resumed talking. "They weren't asked because the more powerful we appear to be, the more fearful they are. They will no longer be seen as powerful in a world full of heroes."

"I can see how that makes sense," Superman admitted. "Still, none of this is too bad. What I want to know is that. You said that we wouldn't like this plan of yours, that we wouldn't approve. What is it?"

Batman mentally took a deep breath. They would be none too happy with his preferred course of action. "We are going to have to let him attack. We can't intercept him and we can't cut him off. We need to call his bluff. We need to interrupt his assault."

The heroes were shocked, nearly knocked back in stunned silence. "You are proposing to… let him attack. To let innocents die while we wait?" Wonder Woman said, disbelieving of what she had just heard.

"Letting millions of people die? Not a chance. Letting him attack? Yes. It's the only viable option."

"Okay, okay. Let's say, just for the argument's purpose, that it is the only option. This has got to be the biggest risk I've ever seen," Green Arrow interjected. "You're taking a hell of a gamble. Is this really the only plan we've got?"

Batman sighed. "No, it's not the only plan we have. We could hide away as the planet crumbles. We could confront him in another suicidal charge. We'd die as martyrs but we can't afford to die. There's too much at stake. This isn't a great plan, it's not even a good one. But it is our only chance. I'm not asking you to like me, to follow me, but I am asking you to trust me."

The members of the Justice League looked at each other. Their opinions had been swayed, even if not completely. Superman was the first to speak.

"I'm not convinced. Not yet. But I am willing to hear you out. You did follow us into the fire, after all. So we'll give you that, at least. What are you thinking?"

Batman nodded, before turning to the Flash. "This plan hinges on each of us, all of us. But one man in particular is going to have a significant role to play. Flash, you've often been called the fastest man alive. That title is going to be put to the test."

Flash listened intently as Batman spoke. "Before his untimely death, General Shanks gave me those files. They contain unselected heroes, which you know. But they weren't the only thing." Flipping the pages until he found what he wanted, he continued: This, in particular. His dog tags. They contain a microchip, unrecognisable. It's not a bug, but it will vibrate when an object of significant mass moves. Diana, you still have his other dog tag, right?"

"Yes. He gave it to me, right before he died." Her eyes took on a bit of sadness as she spoke.

"From where I'm standing, I think he knew he was going on a one way trip, regardless of whether we would succeed or not. He knew he wasn't going to come back, and yet he continued on anyway. With his dog tag still on his body, it will vibrate when Brainiac takes off to start his invasion. That is when you, Flash, must infiltrate his ship. You're quick enough to evade his senses, and you're the only one capable of reaching it before it takes off. I cannot stress how vital it is you reach the ship in time. Everything depends on this. A good man died to give us this chance. We can't waste it."

Looking the man right in the eye, the Dark Knight went to the Scarlet Speedster. "Can you do It?"

His eyes were sincere as he answered. "Yes, I can." He spoke with resolution.

"If that works, then we need extra hands to stand up to Brainiac. We need help. We need an army. And that army is written down in those pages."

They took in his words, processing and deciding on the validity of his plan. Looking at each other, they silently came to an agreement. Superman sat forward.

"I really don't know what to think of you, whether I can trust you, whether you're worth your place in the team. But… this sounds like it could work. Even when you constantly argued against our initial assault, even when you didn't show… you followed us into the fight. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt." He smiled.

"I'm in."

Batman nodded. "Wonder Woman? Green Lantern? What do you think?"

They looked at each other, before they answered. "I'm not entirely sold, but… what the hell? If Supes is in, then so am I," the bearer of the power ring said.

"I'm not going to lie, I have my doubts. But I agree with you on this. General Shanks will not die in vain," Wonder Woman said resolutely.

"I've already said that you've got me," Flash shrugged. "Let's do this."

"Green Arrow?" Batman asked.

"You kidding? I'm currently fighting alongside gods, aliens and super-powered humans. No way am I disagreeing. I'm in."

"Right. That's settled. Now, the people in these pages will need to be sought after. I have several copies for you."

"I could ask the Guardians," Green Lantern offered. "If we need help they could provide some aid."

"Yeah," Wonder Woman agreed. "I could ask my sisters on Themyscira for help."

"I don't think that would be a good idea. From what you've told us before Lantern, they don't see him as an intergalactic threat. And even if their princess did ask for support, I don't think the Amazons would be in a rush to save 'Man's World'. It's not as if I don't think you'd be able convince them, Diana, it's just that it would take you too long. Time is a virtue we do not have. You're the only Amazon to leave the island in a thousand years."

Looking back to the folder, he said: But there is one who could provide us with the forces we seek. Superman, stay here after this meeting adjourns. You're the only one who can go to him."

"Okay. But… if we're really doing this, if we're diving in the deep end, then… there are a few things I want to do before we prepare. People I want to see in case we don't come back." Superman said. The general consensus was with him.

"Then that's settled," Batman agreed. "Meet back here at four o' clock. We will have much to discuss."

As they left, Superman gripped Batman's shoulder, stopping him before he left. "These copies you've given us, I noticed there's one page missing. Why? What is it that you've hidden it from us?"

He shrugged. "I need to study it further. That is all I can say."

"All right. Can you at least tell me it's name?"

"Yes. It's a little project called The Watchtower."

* * *

Green Lantern flew in the direction of Coast City. He wanted to slow down for at least an hour, as it seemed his life had suddenly sped up to a hundred miles an hour. He breathed in the air as he flew. He loved flying, whether it was in his plane or by himself. He loved the quiet serenity that came only in the sky. He remembered the first time he had flown on his own. The feeling of being weightless, the gravity tugging at him yet not dragging him back down, and the adrenaline rush was… unbelievable.

There was one person he wanted to see in particular. If these were his final days, then he wanted to make them meaningful. Flying with purpose, he went to the person he loved.

Carol was curled up on the couch, reading a magazine as he approached her apartment. His mask disappeared as he approached her balcony. This was a job for Hal Jordan, not Green Lantern.

She noticed as he landed just outside. Her eyes visibly brightened as she realised who her visitor was.

"Hal? Hal!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I was wondering when you would be back!"

She drew him into her embrace, clutching him tightly. "So… just back from saving the world?"

"I wish… I got to tell you something, Carol."

His voice was laced with uncertainty. "What is it?" she asked.

"We… tried to stop him. We fought him on his home ground, went straight to his base, bold as brass. But… we didn't really stand a chance. He threw us aside like we were rag dolls. We lost a lot of good people. You see, Batman's got this plan. But… It's really risky. Like life-threatening risky. And… I'm not sure if I'm going to return from this, and I don't want you to be guessing whether I loved you all those years when I'm gone, so…"

His progress was soon halted as Carol brought his face level with hers, before she slowly kissed him. Hal sighed happily as he quickly responded, lost in the moment. She had always had this uncanny ability to shut him up.

Regretfully breaking it off, she stared into his eyes. "Hal, throughout your whole life you've got yourself in trouble, like when you first got mixed up with the Green Lanterns, or the fights we used to have. It was always one of your biggest flaws."

He looked at her. The pep talk he'd been expecting was exactly inspirational.

"But, you seem to have this ability to get out of a predicament. Every time you've fallen, you've got back up, even when you had no reason to. You never give up. In the end, that is your greatest strength. The ring only shows what I've always known for years. Your determination and willpower to right a wrong is incredible. So, don't say goodbye. You're going to fight Brainiac, and you're going to win. And when you do, I'll be here, waiting for you."

Hal Jordan smiled. "I'm truly blessed to have you," he said.

"I know."

* * *

Wonder Woman flew towards her selected destination. She had said what she had wanted to say to Steve and his wife, but there was one last thing she had to do. General Shanks had one last request before he died, and she wanted to honour it. It was the least she could do, considering all he had done for them.

With Batman's assistance, she had found where his wife and kids lived, and she was determined to tell them how much he cared for them. She came to his house, in the outskirts of New York. It was a very nice house, looking like it was usually cleaned and cared for. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

Hello there, what can I-"she said, before she realised who she was talking to. Her eyes bulged while her mouth widened. "Wonder Woman?"

"Diana is fine," she responded. She tried to keep her voice light, but the woman could tell she was putting up an act. Sighing, she decided to try to break the news gently.

"Are you Emily Shanks? Your husband is Alan?"

"Yes," she replied tentatively. "Why would you ask… unless… no, no… no, no, no!" she could tell why Wonder Woman had come to her.

"I'm so, so, sorry," she said sadly. "If you want to take a minute, then-"

"No, I don't want to take a minute! My husband is… is… dead! Why? Why?! Oh God, how am I going to tell Robb and Anya? How-"

Diana gently gripped Emily's shoulders, making her look into her eyes. The woman watched her, before she leant into the heroine, crying on her shoulder. "Maybe this isn't the best place to tell you what happened. Should we go inside?"

Emily numbly nodded, before removing herself from Diana's embrace. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, you must think I'm soft or something."

"No. Considering what you have just learnt, it's okay to fall apart. We all do, even the best of us."

They made their way into the house, heading for the kitchen table. There, Diana recounted the tale of how the world was under threat, how General Shanks had assisted in bringing them together, how he had supported them throughout, and how he had heroically given his own life so they could live.

She never interrupted, never shouted in rage that he was gone, never broke down in tears like she had on the porch. She just listened quietly, nodding her head when she described him, like it sounded like the man she loved. After Diana was done, she simply looked down forlornly, basking in her sadness.

"Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish things could have happened differently," she offered.

"You and me both," she agreed. "I'm just dreading telling my kids though. Robb is so young he might not even understand completely, but Anya…" Hearing a bus roll up to their house, Emily nodded sadly. "That's them now."

The door opened to reveal two kids in the hallway. One was a little boy of around four, with curly brown hair and clear blue eyes, full of innocence and wonder as he looked up at her, realising who she was. "Mummy! It's the woman off the telly! Um… Wonder Woman! Yeah, it's Wonder Woman!"

His enthusiasm was infectious, even bringing a smile to Emily's face, albeit a sad one.

"Wonder Woman?! Like as in the heroine who can fly! What- what are you doing here?!" Anya stepped forward, giving Diana a chance to get a good look at her. She was a teenager, and whereas Robb looked eerily similar to his father, she took more after Emily, the only characteristic she got from her dad being her eyes. At first she was excited, but her enthusiasm was slowly drained away and replaced with uncertainty then dread as Diana looked at her sadly while her mother had to suppress a sob of grief.

"Mum? Why… why do you look like you've been crying? What is she doing here?" Realisation slowly seeped into her expression as Emily looked at her with watery eyes.

"No… No! How- what…" The tears started to appear on her face, but she tried to keep them at bay, not wanting to look weak in front of the heroine. Her little brother picked up on her broken state, and, puzzled, he started to question their mother.

"Mummy? Why is Anya crying? Why do you look so sad?"

At his inquiries his mother went over to him and picked him, hugging him tenderly, her emotions the water in her eyes threatening to break the dam. She was so lost as she hugged her son she almost didn't notice Anya angrily stalking up the stairs, before she heard a crash from upstairs. Looking at Emily, Diana silently asked for permission to talk to her. Her request was granted in kind.

She slowly walked up the stairs, her superhuman hearing picking up stammering sobs from presumably Anya's bedroom, her breath stuttering every time she inhaled. For one of the few times in her life, Diana wished she didn't have her powers. It was like she was interrupting a private moment. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed the door open.

The poor girl was lying face-down on the bed, sobbing into her pillow. She raised her head to see who it was, before she resumed her tearful outburst.

"Anya… Anya please," Diana asked. Tentatively she laid her hand on her shoulder.

Her reaction was instantaneous. She flung her arm wide, shrugging off the contact between them. She got up and anger came to her eyes.

"Why are you here?! Are you going to hug me and tell me it'll be alright?! We can't all be perfect like you!" she angrily shouted at her. There was no real malice behind her expression though, just sadness veiled in rage.

"No… I'm not going to lie to you. You deserve better than that," she responded, as Anya resumed her sobbing. "It's okay to be angry, to feel furious at the world for taking the people you love from you. It's okay to be sad too. I don't think any less of you for it," she gently said.

"Don't… Don't talk to me like I'm a kid, like I'm Robb, or-or…" she replied, though her rage was failing her. She just seemed numb, broken.

"I'm not going to. And you're right. Not everyone is perfect, including me. No one is. We all have our problems. It's the way we deal with them, the way we react, that defines who we are. You're going to be angry for a long time, but… it's okay to grieve. Just try not to push everyone away. They're hurting just as much you."

The girl didn't break eye contact, but her threatening stance lessened considerably as she seemed to contemplate Wonder Woman's words.

Diana hoped her words would help her, but she took the girl's silence as her cue to leave. As she left the room and went down the stairs, she heard an almost imperceptible 'thank you'.

It didn't make her smile, but it did give her hope for her.

* * *

Green Arrow pushed the hood back from his face as he walked into his mansion. Usually he would have to climb in through a window or shift identities when he went home, but this time the backdoor was adequate. No one was inside for the moment as he disrobed himself of his vigilante identity and became Oliver Queen.

"So, Ollie, when did you think of coming home? You've been gone for a couple of days now."

Oliver sighed as he found Black Canary waiting for him in his bedroom, and not in the way he liked either. She was standing, hands on hips, waiting for his answer.

"Hey, Dinah," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "What have you been up to?"

"Ollie, please," she responded. "I know when you're trying to change the subject. Look, this isn't the first time you've up and disappeared. The difference is that you usually tell me where you're going. This time, nothing. No explanation, no note, you just left. And… that is a pretty bad bruise you're sporting now. So, what happened?"

Oliver sighed. Well, if he was in the doghouse, a little talk couldn't hurt. "All right. You know Batman, Superman, the likes of them? And do you remember when I was on patrol and I noticed two costumed figures on a roof overlooking the city? Well it turns those two figures were Green Lantern and Flash."

Dinah looked at him with interest. Her curiosity was piqued, to say the least. "Don't tell me you picked a fight with them?"

He grinned. "Only a little one. I may have accidently tripped the fastest man in the world, but no, punches weren't thrown that day. Instead, they told me of some kind of invasion. I have the files with me here," he said, as he gave them to her. "They asked me to join them. The mission was to stop this… machine thing called Brainiac. And of course it wasn't just us three. Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman were part of it too."

His eyes sunk to the floor however as he kept talking. That alarmed Dinah. If he wasn't his usual jokey self, then she knew it must have been serious. "We attacked his base. The plan was to destroy him, save the world without it ever knowing it was in danger. But we failed. Badly. We barely managed to get out alive. I got this sore thing over my eye from that. A lot of good people died. And he's still out there, preparing and planning to destroy our world."

Dinah took in his words as he spoke. She flipped through the pages as he recounted his story. Her eyes widened as she came across a particular page.

It was her. She had no idea where they had got the photo from, but whether it was from a camera or not, it captured her pretty well. She was in the middle of a fight, whirling around as she was posed to punch a goon's face in. Ollie must have noticed her interest as he went around to her, wolf-whistling when he realised what she was looking at.

"I have to say, that photo capture your curves pretty well. Not to mention your other… _assets_."

"Ollie," she said, with a warning in her voice.

"Okay, I'll stop. But they were keeping tabs on us. And… the reason why I didn't want you to join me wasn't because you aren't a good fighter or anything, it was because I didn't want to see you get hurt. Plus people are already perverts over Wonder Woman. I don't really fancy you joining that club."

"That's nice, Ollie," she said, quietly appreciative of his protectiveness. "But you of all people should know… I can take care of myself."

"Yes you can," he replied wholeheartedly.

"So, when are you meeting the super friends again? I'm coming along, whether you like it or not."

"Four o' clock. And the 'Super Friends' is a crap name. We're called the Justice League."

* * *

Clark Kent made his way to her office. If he was correct, Lois would be typing furiously at her computer, working overtime when she should be on her lunch break. He chuckled. It was one of the things he loved about her. If it wasn't done right, she would mould and whip it into shape until it was perfect. Still thinking about that, he made his way to her office.

"Knock-knock?" he said, as he stood in front of the open door. His hunch had been right. She was currently sat at her desk finishing off some work while she really should have been having a break.

"Who's there?" she said, humouring him as he walked over to her.

"Just the most interesting man in your life," he replied. He chuckled as she let out a gruff laugh at his statement.

"So, is your business done?" she asked, mindful of the security cameras watching them.

"Well that's the thing, Lois. I'm… I might be gone for a while. It could take a week, a month… I don't know. You see, this is some tricky business I've got myself into. Me and my fellow colleagues will work to deal with it as soon as possible."

"Will you be coming back?" she asked sadly.

"I… I think so," he said helplessly. "You know me. I'll be here one minute, gone the next. But… I'll find you, I promise."

"I know you will. It's just… I don't like the uncertainty when you're gone."

"Are you saying you miss me, Ms. Lane?" he enquired.

"Yes, Mr. Kent. So, do me a favour. Deal with this situation as fast as you can and come back to me."

"I will."

* * *

Barry Allen sighed as he sat on one of the chairs in their base. He was on constant alert now, meaning he wasn't able to meet Iris in person and tell her how much he loved her. All the rest of his companions had had the chance to leave and meet their loved ones, even Batman, and he felt bad not being there for her. He felt deprived, like he was missing something.

He contemplated their chances of survival. The burden of being the fastest man alive was truly being felt now, as he thought about his task. Batman had been crystal-clear about their plan, and it all weighed on him heavily. Everyone had their part to play, but he had one that was especially daunting.

He took a deep breath. The Justice League needed him, his friends needed him and the world needed him. Seven billion people were relying on him. **Iris **was relying on him.

He would not fail. They called him the Fastest Man Alive.

Now it was time for him to prove it.

* * *

"Sir, may I ask why you have called this meeting with Master Dick and Master Tim? Or are you going to continue your staring match with the wall?"

Batman pushed up his cowl as Alfred looked at him. His expression showed no sign of mocking, instead he simply gave Bruce one of his 'looks'. These looks were almost as legendary as the so called 'Batglares' in the Wayne manor. He couldn't remember who came up with the name.

_It was probably Dick._

"I have to tell them something, Alfred. And I'm going to need your help in this. I can't see them happy when I ask it of them."

"Very well, sir. Are you sure this is the best course of action?"

He sighed. "What would you have me do? Brainiac is coming. They can't stand up to him. I need to know they'll be safe."

"So, Bruce, you gonna tell me why you dragged me down here instead of just calling me? Did the custom phone you made yourself break?" Dick questioned jokingly, announcing his presence. It wasn't often Bruce called him down here. Whenever that happened, he knew something was up.

"I don't really care. Beats doing homework," Tim Drake, Aka Robin said. Dick looked surprised as he spoke.

"He invited you here too? God, Bruce, you must have something monumental to tell us. Pity Babs isn't here."

"You were saying, Richard?" The person in question said, as Oracle popped up on the computer monitor.

"Okay, okay, this is ridiculous. Bruce, are you going to be a father or something? Because in that case, congratulations!"

"Enough Dick," Bruce said. He may have removed the cowl from his face but the Batman reinforced his sentence. Unfortunately, the effects on Dick had long worn off.

"All right, all right. You've got the floor Bruce."

"Thank you. As you may have noticed, I have been absent in the days this past week. The reason for that is this," he said, throwing a folder onto the table. "A little project called the Justice League. It currently consists of Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash and Green Arrow. The reason for this is because of something called Brainiac. He is going to invade Earth, and when he does, he'll destroy everything in his path if we don't stop him."

"Wow…" Tim breathed, taking in what his mentor told him. "Please tell me you didn't piss them off as soon as you met them? I'd like to get their autographs one day."

"He may have elected to throw Wonder Woman across a roof, Master Tim. He then proceeded to engage in a fistfight with her the following day," Alfred helpfully provided. Tim groaned in response.

"So, Bruce, where do we start?" Dick asked.

"You aren't going to do anything. Any of you. I want you to stay here in the Batcave. Underground is going to be the safest place for you."

"Are you kidding? If what you're saying is right, then the whole world is in danger," he argued. "You can't just ground me and keep me here! Let me help, for God's sake!"

"Yeah!" Tim said, backing him up. "It shouldn't just be you out there!"

"Oracle, I'm going to need you to come to the cave, as soon as possible," he said, ignoring their words. Dick however stepped in front of him, getting his full attention.

"Whether you admit it or not, you need help. I can provide it. I can understand Tim staying here…"

"Hey!"

"But you'll be better off with me by your side. So for once, don't be so damned stubborn and let me help you!"

"Look, Dick," Bruce said, clutching his ward's shoulders. "There's a big chance I might die. You aren't going to change that. I don't want to see you dead. If Brainiac wins, then you'll be needed to rebuild after he's done. We already tried a full frontal assault, and we failed. Enough people have died. You are **not **going to join them."

He tried to protest further, but Bruce had ended the argument and both men knew it. "You can assist Oracle if you wish."

As he turned to leave for the Batwing, Tim stopped him before he left. "Bruce… you're not really going to die, are you? I've never seen you this sincere before."

"I don't know Tim, I don't know. It all depends whether I'm half as smart as you think I am."

He left after that, the plane buffeting the wind around them. As he left for the Justice League base, he thought to himself:

_I hope I know what I'm doing._

* * *

**So, this was going to be the chapter where Hawkgirl made her appearance, but as I wrote I realised how long this was getting. As a result, I've pushed back her intro until the next chapter. She'll be here soon, I promise!**

**So yeah, this is the fallout of the events from the last chapter. The next one is called 'Plan B', which is basically the preparation for Brainiac's invasion. If you have any questions about that, or the story in general, then please be sure to ask me in a review or PM! And I make it a point to answer any questions asked. I always respond to reviewers, whether it be in a PM or in my next chapter. And of course, thank you to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed! I write this for you!**

**Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6: Plan B

**Disclaimer: Don't own characters, doing this for own enjoyment, characters belong to DC, blah blah blah, blah blah blah. Now, on with the story!**

Chapter 6: Plan B

Superman flew across the water, it rippling as he passed. He'd just been talking to Lois, but now it was back to business. Batman had explained the precarious situation he might be going into, but the potential reward was worth it. He skimmed across the ocean as he made his way to his selected destination. He had to be in the exact right place for this to work.

"Arthur Curry! Rise from the depths! Face me!"

He shouted as loud as he could, but there was no response. He waited for a few more minutes, but he still got no reply. He sighed. He hadn't wanted to do this, but it seemed like it was the only way.

Time for the far more direct, and dangerous option.

He was in a warm ocean, but the blue of the water was soon replaced by the white of ice as the Man of Steel exhaled, freezing the water around him. He continued to go over his work, following the instructions him and Batman had agreed on in case he didn't show up the first time.

_Well, this will get his attention._

His musings were soon proved correct as a geyser suddenly shot up from the ice floe Superman had created, the heat quickly melting the ice as several more geysers announced their presence. Before long, the white out of place was soon swallowed as it became part of the ocean blue again.

Superman eyed the water warily. Any second now…

He heard a ripple from behind him as he hovered over the sea. The tiny little whirlpool made its presence known before quickly sputtering out; leaving no trace that it had ever been there.

He turned around only to see a giant wave crashing into him, smashing against him, slamming him into the water. He coughed as the liquid engulfed him as he swallowed saltwater, before he rose out of the ocean. He couldn't believe it had been that quiet.

"Superman. I thought you were smarter than this. The King of Atlantis doesn't just run to a surface-dweller's beck and call."

The man in question lifted himself above the sea, pushing himself higher until he stood at the same height as the Last Son of Krypton. He was armed with a trident, and he didn't look happy.

"Aquaman, don't do this. I just want to talk."

The king's eyes narrowed. "This ocean is particularly warm. Do you have any idea the damage the sudden change in temperature can do?"

"Listen, I tried to get you to notice. This was my last resort. I needed to get your attention."

"And now you have it. You will wish you didn't!" Aquaman shouted, before he summoned the waves around him and commanded them to swarm right at Superman. Even though he was endowed with all kinds of power, he still had the same reaction as anyone else.

He raised his hands in defence, and when he put them back down Aquaman was right in his face, right before he hit him back with the flat of his trident. The Man of Steel skidded across the water before he became airborne. His opponent attempted to hit him with another wave but he quickly backed up, rising higher into the air.

"Stop this. There's no point in fighting! I just want to talk!"

"I'm tired of talking," was the man's response.

Superman was used to getting his patience tested, but at the end of the day he was still raised as a human, and he had his limits. "Fine," he bit back, before flying to meet his opponent.

Aquaman rose to meet him, but with Superman's speed he easily reached him first, before he pummelled him with a punch to the chest, knocking the king back into the water. Aquaman didn't stay down long though, as the water enveloping him lent him strength, as his senses surged as he broke the surface again.

"Stop fighting!" Superman shouted. "This is pointless!"

Aquaman breathed heavily as he regarded his opponent. He indeed was as strong as he had been described, but this was his realm. His power was at its strongest here, and he would not be taken lightly. Hefting his trident, he let his actions replace words.

He found himself lifted as Superman dodged his attack and, instead of punching him, he elected to grab him. His goal became clear as he flew higher, until they were high overhead the sea.

"The water gives you power. Maybe if you're deprived of it, we can talk like adults instead of children!" Superman said, albeit with gritted teeth.

Aquaman shook his head. "You'd threaten me? Tread carefully."

"Look, I'll let you go, set you down. I'm sorry for freezing your ocean, but I needed to get your attention."

Aquaman visibly had to calm down before he responded. "Put me down. **Then** we'll talk."

Superman slowly lowered him down to the ocean, before the man shook himself free. He eyed him wearily, before he asked him: "You wanted to get my attention. Why?"

"Truth is, we need your help. Come back with me. We've got an awful lot to talk about."

* * *

Wonder Woman idly looked out over the horizon. Most of the base was underground, but there was this small little sanctuary where she could look out across the landscape. The sun was starting to set now, the sky beginning its transition from blue to black. She loved the sunset. It reminded her of when she was a little girl, when her mother would point out the beauty of the sky, right before she explained the constellations of the stars when the night fell. She'd memorised them all by the time she was six, but she never tired of hearing her mother's words as she reminded herself of when she was young. And her mother would always finish with the same words every night, right before she went to bed.

"_My little Sun and Stars."_

The memory warmed her, but it also brought her sadness. She never would have thought it before, but, in amongst seven billion people, she felt alone without her sisters. She was glad that the Justice League had been formed. She could finally have some proper friends, even if most were male. She was looking forward to when a few girls were joining them.

Her musings were interrupted as she heard a whine off in the distance, before it steadily got louder and louder until it was blasting into her ears. It was a plane, slowing down as it approached. There were only two people in the league that flew by plane to their base, and the sleek, covert black colour told her that this wasn't Green Arrow.

_Old tall and grouchy has arrived._

Batman slowly set his bird down before he exited the vehicle. After he made a quick acknowledgement that everything was in good shape, he turned, noticing her for the first time. To him, she seemed lost in thought.

"Wonder Woman," he acknowledged.

"Hello Bruce," she said, right before realising her mistake. By the way his shoulders stiffened and his eyes narrowed, she knew she was in for a talking to.

_Not this again._

"What have I told you about my identity, Princess?" he asked. "You can't get into the habit of calling me that."

"I know, I know. Hera, I was just trying to be polite."

He grunted in response, before an awkward silence settled in. Wonder Woman mentally thought of anything she could say to start up a conversation. Talking with the most stoic man in the world took some effort.

"So, where have you been?" A simple enough question to ask.

"I've… just been in Gotham. Had to sort a few things before I fully committed to this. What about you?"

"I had to say a few goodbyes of my own, and… I had to break the news to Shank's wife," she said sadly. For the first time she saw a look of empathy on the man's face. "And how did that go?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Was it good? Bad? I mean, how can you tell a wife and her children that Daddy isn't coming home anymore?"

"There never has been a good way, and there never will be," he said, with what Diana could've sworn was a hint of regret. "At the very least, they still have their mother, and she still has her children."

"Yeah, I suppose," she solemnly agreed. "It's a scary thought, what we have to do as heroes. Sometimes we win so much we forget we can lose. And when we do, that just makes the loss all the more worse," she remarked sadly.

Batman felt lost as she put her head down to the floor. He wasn't the best at comforting the people he knew, let alone a super-heroine he'd only known a week. He tried the safe option: the comforting hand on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you did the best you could. I guess seeing the worst of life gives us greater appreciation for the better times. And that's something to fight for, at the very least."

Diana was surprised at the contact, and even more so by his words, but she welcomed them regardless. She didn't really know why she was confiding in the Dark Knight, but so far he hadn't been showing any of his lesser traits. It made him seem more… human.

"I agree. I… we can't let it happen again. That **is **something to fight for. We are not going to let Brainiac win. That is a promise."

"I couldn't agree more," he said, nodding at her words. She still seemed to be in a solemn mood though. Batman decided to rectify that.

"Want to spar?" he asked.

A small smile appeared on her face. "Sure."

It was amazing what punching something would do for a person.

* * *

Hawkgirl already felt displaced in time. She was on a planet unlike her own, she had none of her race for company and she missed her friends back on Thanagar. She'd come to the Grand Canyon for some peace and quiet, an escape route from the chaos her life had become. Sometimes she wondered what would have happened if she hadn't become who she was today. And to be interrupted in her musings, well, that was probably why she may have been particularly grouchy when she found a green lantern following her.

"What do you want with me?" she asked. She'd known he'd been trailing her for a while, though it was only now she announced that she knew of his presence.

He emerged from behind a boulder, grinning sheepishly. "How long did I go unnoticed?"

"Not long at all," she deadpanned. She knew of the Green Lantern Corp. They were basically the police force of the galaxy, which paved the way for a question to emerge in her mind. What would one want with her?

"I'm Green Lantern, in charge of sector 2814," he introduced himself. "But you probably knew that. What you probably don't know is that Earth may not be standing much longer. A… machine… robot… thing is coming, and he's going to destroy everything in his way if we don't stop him. We need your help."

Hal finished his statement, rather proud of himself. It was only after he went over his words that he realised what it sounded like. That and the look on Hawkgirl that screamed _'What have you been smoking?'_

"Okay. I'll be going now," she said, before taking off in the opposite direction. Green Lantern wouldn't let her get away however. "Wait up!"

Sighing, she turned round to face him. "Repeat that in English this time. Properly." Shayera wondered what she had gotten herself into. She wasn't from this planet and yet she seemed to understand the language better than this guy.

He took a breath, before starting over. "Okay, look. Ever heard of Brainiac? Well, he is this cyborg that is hellbent on destroying Earth. The Guardians aren't going to do anything to stop him, so a plan was formed, to bring the strongest, smartest and brightest heroes to defend ourselves. It's a little project called the Justice League. You've caught the eye. Congratulations," he finished sarcastically.

"All right, why would the governments of the political world rely on us? Last I heard I was unwelcome. Heroes generally are, well, if not by the people. How drastic would they be to come to us?"

He nodded. "That's how bad the situation is. They need us, now more than ever, and if we fight alone we'll all be wiped out. If we stand together, we stand a chance of winning this. You in?"

Hawkgirl considered. This wasn't her world, but she had seen the good in it. These people didn't deserve to be crushed underfoot by some tyrannical invader. She didn't have to think long about her answer.

"Fine. Lead the way. But try not to annoy on the way there. I have a mace and I'm not afraid to use it."

"Heard you loud and clear."

* * *

Flash, who had been alone in the centre of their headquarters for some time, marvelled at how such a quiet place could be devoured by noise in such a short amount of time. Nothing had happened in the last few hours, save that everyone had gone out and said their goodbyes,( including himself. Against his better judgement he'd gone out and given Iris a quick good bye, in case he wasn't coming back.) but now there was a flurry of activity before him now.

Green Lantern had just arrived with Hawkgirl in tow, and Superman had come back with the King of Atlantis behind him. Batman and Wonder Woman had just finished their sparring session, and Green Arrow had just returned with Black Canary. All in all, the room felt a bit crowded.

The first problem was the seats. There had only meant to have been five Justice League members, along with a chair for General Shanks, and as a result there was a bit of confusion when everyone stepped forward to take a seat, and not everyone was as big of a gentleman like Green Arrow when he gave up his seat for Black Canary.

There was an awkward silence, before Wonder Woman stepped forward and took her seat, quickly followed by Batman and Superman. Hawkgirl sat down before Aquaman or Green Lantern could sit.

"Well, we've got an awful lot to talk about," Superman said. "And not a lot of time to explain it. What you do need to know is that Brainiac is coming. We've already fought him, and we've already lost once. We fought him on his home turf, and we couldn't overpower him. We need your help."

Batman stepped forward. "We have a plan. One of our men died in our assault, but he left us a parting gift. We know five possible locations where Brainiac will strike first. New York, Gotham, Metropolis, London and Beijing. We can't hope to defeat him in a head on attack, so we wait. We wait for his attack."

"Okay, okay, slow down. Are you saying… we're letting innocent people die? Just so we can get the jump on him? Are you out of your mind?" Hawkgirl interjected. She had heard he was cold, but she hadn't expected this!

"If you hadn't interrupted, there's more," he replied, not intimidated by her threatening stance in the slightest. "We have a device embedded in his ship that will tell us when Brainiac starts his invasion. As soon as that happens, Flash is going to infiltrate his ship. As Brainiac plans to attack, Flash will destroy his vessel from the inside. Then, we can draw him out, and finish this."

The newcomers looked around as they watched the heroes in the know nod their heads grimly. So they had agreed on this? It was a massive gamble to make.

"This is a hell of a risk you're taking," Black Canary breathed. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, have you thought about the ramifications of your actions if you're wrong?" Aquaman questioned. He didn't seem to be on board with the whole idea.

Batman scowled. "You don't get it. This isn't an enemy you can charge at and hope for the best. Ask Superman and Wonder Woman if you don't believe me. No, that's not how we win. He thinks he knows what we're capable of, that we're predictable. We need to call his bluff. Unknown variables are going to win this. He believes that he knows what we're going to do. Something logical. An illogical action will surprise him. He thinks he knows us. We need to prove him wrong."

He sighed. "I don't expect you to understand, but if you want to help us, then you oblige. Is that clear?"

The three newcomers looked at each other before nodding. "What do you need from us?" Hawkgirl asked resolutely.

"Black Canary will offer support on the ground. Hawkgirl, you will provide air-support. Aquaman, you have a more simple yet important purpose."

"We need an army."

"Excuse me?" the man asked.

"The World's Finest isn't enough. Brainiac has an army of drones behind him. We need to even up the odds. You're the king of Atlantis, and with your forces it could tip the battle in our favour."

"Okay," Aquaman said."I can do what you ask of me. As long as you complete your task, I will complete mine."

"We will," Wonder Woman answered. "We're going to go up against Brainiac, and we're going to win."

Any sentences the Justice League would utter were quickly disrupted as a massive shockwave rocked the room, making everyone reel back as it burst through the room.

* * *

The Earth shuddered as every television, every radio, every broadcast went dead. Midday television faded to black while radio became static as the world's media came to a standstill, before it burst back to life in one gut-wrenching heave. And they could hear his voice. Brainiac's voice. In every room, in every office, in every street and every city, the only thing people could hear was the deep, metal like voice of the invader.

Batman frantically interacted with the interface in his wrist before everyone heard a loud beeping noise in the room. But while Aquaman, Hawkgirl and Black Canary heard it with confusion, everyone else knew what it meant.

The invasion had begun.

"Flash, Go!" Batman roared, before there was a zip and the man in question vanished. And then, the monitor in the room suddenly came alive, and the heroes had a sinking feeling that the same thing was happening to everything else on Earth.

"People of this world," he spoke. "Your borrowed time is over. I have come to enlighten you. Your mortal forms will wither and die as I immortalise your species. I will reap your planet of everything valuable, and I will end your petty existence on Earth. Some will take umbrage at this. Some will think it wise to fight. It is not. Gaze upon the souls who already sought to destroy me."

Images of the bodies left on the battlefield flashed before everyone's eyes. People looked on in horror as they were showed them decaying, birds feasting on their corpses.

"They died thinking they could make a difference," he continued. "But what difference did they make? None. They were powerless to stop me as I crushed them underfoot. But that was not their most pathetic attempt at survival. No, their desperation forced them to reach out for help from something else."

"Behold, the Justice League." Video footage of the battle was shown across the globe. Everyone in the world watched as Superman was thrown out of the ship, as he pulled Wonder Woman's sword through his own chest. And then he spoke again.

"You call on misguided gods and aliens to save you. They will not. You will only be able to cower as I destroy everything you hold dear. Fear me. I am the brain-interactive construct. I am Brainiac, and I will raze Earth to the ground."

With that the broadcast faded to black, before the normal schedule re-appeared. But the heroes knew what the stakes were now. The world depended on the answer. Bringing his hand up to his earpiece, with everyone hanging on the response, Batman asked:

"Flash. Did you make it?"

* * *

**Cliff-hanger! So, this was, I think, my shortest chapter since chapter 1. I'm sorry if you feel you've been left hanging. I'm already half-way through the next chapter so I'll have the next one up by next week. Hopefully.**

**Just to clarify, I don't know a lot about Hawkgirl. Apart from the animated series. And when I looked up her origin, she's from another universe? I don't know, but hopefully I won't butcher her character. Her backstory isn't going to be a driving force of the plot anyway. And Aquaman. If you like him, good for you, but I don't. He was good in Injustice, but that's the only thing I've ever liked him in. My like or dislike of a character won't affect about how I write them, so I won't be making him an asshole like in some other fics I've seen. I actually think that's a bit unfair. I mean like, I didn't like Superman. At all. And then I saw Man of Steel. Which was a really good movie. Even if you don't like Superman watch it. It's the only probable thing that will change your opinion.**

**And of course thank you to everyone who favourite, followed and reviewed! Particular thanks to regular reviewers like LloydRPGFan, mbembet, pk6873, LSZero and ZachZ. I'll keep the chapters coming for you.**

**And if you liked this chapter, a review would lighten my day up real quick. Please tell me what you think!**

**Until next time!**


	7. Chapter 7: London Calling

**Author's note: Well, here we are. I thought about splitting this chapter in two, since it is over 8,000 words long, but then I figured I've kept you guys waiting long enough. And, I didn't realise this until I started typing it, but this is the second last chapter! I have an epilogue ready after this, and then I have a sequel I'm typing up. More on that after the chapter. But anyway, to anyone who reviewed, followed, favourited, hell, anyone who even clicked on this and decided to read it, thank you. This is my first fanfiction so I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. All characters belong to DC, I'm not doing this for profit and all the rest of that stuff. Now, enough of my rambling. Let's do this.**

**Enjoy!**

"Flash, go!" Batman roared. Barry immediately understood, before he ran through and out of the base. There were a lot of twists and turns, but he had memorised the layout of the base of operations. In a second, he was out and heading for Brainiac at full speed.

What were seconds for the rest of the world seemed to be hours for the Flash as he sped up. Thoughts flashed in his head of what might happen should he fail. The world would crumble, its rivers would dry up and its mountains would fall. Brainiac would bend the Earth to his will, and when he was finished the planet would be broken, a dry and arid wasteland. Cities would shatter, towns would be crushed and all life on Earth would cease to exist.

He mentally shook those thoughts from his head. He couldn't afford to think like that! He had to succeed. Otherwise…

The ship came into view, the giant hulking piece of metal slowly beginning to rise into the sky. It had looked unnatural the first time he'd seen it, but now that the backdrop was the beautiful blue sky it looked all the more wrong. And it was starting to take off.

While it would have been a few seconds for anyone else on the planet, the time was agonisingly slow as he approached. The runway on the ship was beginning to close.

_Come on… Come on!_

He put in everything he had. He was going so fast that the world around him seemed to ripple, like a distortion. He had no idea what was happening, but that wasn't at the forefront of his mind. The only thing he could focus on was making it to the colossal vessel in front of him.

_I'm not going to make it…_

He was going the fastest he'd ever gone. And it still wasn't enough…

Images flashed before him, of the people he was failing, of the world he was dooming. And somewhere, somehow, those thoughts gave him strength. Or, to put it more accurately, **speed**.

A roar built up inside of him as he dug deep and found inspiration. And with an almighty burst, he surged to the ship.

_Made it!_

He looked back down at the planet below as the panel closed, sealing him in. He had done it, he had managed to infiltrate the ship, and, by the lack of drones swarming to his position, he could tell he had done it successfully. But, even with his success, he knew his job was far from over. A buzzing sound in his ear only served to remind him.

"Flash, did you make it?" The question came from Batman. There was barely anything that made it differ from his usual gruff tone, but Barry could swear he could sense a tiny undertone of worry. He didn't make him wait.

"Yes, Batman, I'm here. I have a map of the layout of the ship. I'll find out where Brainiac is, and where he's headed."

"Okay. And remember, do not, I repeat, do NOT, engage him directly. We need him to attack, and if he knows of your presence he will never venture off of the ship. He may even attack elsewhere if we know of his whereabouts. Find out where he's attacking, and stay hidden," Batman ordered.

"I hear you, Batman."

"And I'm cutting the comm. It was risky enough to contact you while you're in his ship. It's another way he might learn of your interference. From now on, you're on your own. Contact me only when it's absolutely essential. Good luck."

With that, the communications went dead. Flash breathed so he could swallow down his nerves. When he first became a hero, this hadn't been in the job description. Now… well, it was expected of him now.

He slowly crept through the hallways, avoiding any drones he came upon. Most were like rag dolls, limp and lifeless. But Barry could sense they could come alive at any moment. They were Brainiac's eyes and ears all around the ship, which was why he avoided them at all costs. One mistake and his cover was blown. And if his cover was blown, that was it. Total annihilation loomed large.

He made his way to the centre of the ship, keeping himself invisible to any machines he came across. There was decidedly less than there had been when he first came aboard, and Barry could tell why. Judging by the fact that they were all going in the same direction, he estimated that they were assembling at the runway he had made his entrance in. They were preparing to attack.

He came across a repair room of sorts, and watched as the destroyed drones were pulled apart before replacing their assorted limbs with new parts. Barry idly wondered if Green Arrow had ever played any video games. The amount of arrows embedded in the knee was ridiculous, even if they had been explosive.

Taking out the map again, he pinpointed his exact position. He was making good progress, as the command centre of the ship was just down the hallway. Barry had thought Brainiac was cold, strong, ruthless… but he hadn't struck him as arrogant. His mistake in letting Batman hack him could very well be the thing that shifted the balance in the heroes favour.

Taking a deep breath, he made his way to the fateful room he'd been told about. This was where Brainiac apparently was, planning and preparing for his assault. He peeked into the room and saw him.

In the first time they'd attacked him, Barry had only got a quick glance at the invader, as he had been a bit preoccupied at the time, what with transporting General Shanks and rescuing Green Arrow. He felt a slight pang of guilt for that. His team had told him it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty when he had, essentially, guided a man to his death.

Now, he got a good look at the behemoth that had killed the general. He was massive, taller than Superman and bulkier than any cyborg construct Lantern could have dreamed up. His black armour glinted in the light from the monitors in front of them. And with the images on the screen before him, it dragged the Flash's attention away from the killer and to the location of his attack.

His eyes widened. He had feared it would be Metropolis, or Gotham, or maybe even his own city. But the city in question wasn't even in America. That was mindboggling for Barry at first. It would make sense to attack the west at its strongest…

Because the city in front of him wasn't Metropolis, or Gotham. It wasn't even New York. No, the images he could see showed a very different place. The landmarks gave it away in a second.

Big Ben. Trafalgar Square. And of course, the aptly named London Eye.

Flash zipped back to a spot where he hoped Brainiac wouldn't hear him. However, if he did, it would be worth it to warn his fellow heroes. Frantically, he opened his comm.

"Batman? Batman!" he whispered. He really needed him to answer.

"Yes?" the deep voice responded. "What have you found?"

"Listen. He's taken us by surprise. We expected him to make an attack on us, where we are. In reality, he's far sneakier than that. He wants to install fear into everyone. He wants to bring down the world around us, before delivering the crushing blow."

"For God's sake, quit your chatter and tell me!"

"It's London," Flash breathed. "He's going to attack London."

* * *

"So, does everyone know what they have to do? This is the last time I'm telling you." At their assorted nods and gestures pointing to the positive, Batman went ahead and explained it to them one last time.

"Green Arrow, you're in charge of the ground teams. Black Canary will be joining you along with Flash, when he makes it back from the ship, and Aquaman and his forces." Green Arrow nodded at the other man's statement. He was secretly grateful that Dinah was designated alongside him. If she had to help, then he'd rather have her with him.

"No problem, Bats. Time to show that bastard what we're made of."

"Hawkgirl, anything of Brainiac's in the air, you destroy it. You are an accomplished flyer and I'd say you're pretty proficient with that mace. Anything that flies, you get rid of it. If Brainiac doesn't have air support, go wherever you're needed, whether it is with Green Arrow on the ground, or with Wonder Woman or Green Lantern."

Hawkgirl met his eyes and stared back resolutely. "You can count on me. Let's give them hell."

Turning to Green Lantern, he said: "That leads me to you. You alternate with Hawkgirl. Provide air support, shift in with her. And help Wonder Woman. She may need it."

Turning to Diana, he said to the Amazon: "You have a hard task ahead of you. When we draw him out, Brainiac is your responsibility. Whether you provide a distraction, or, more ideally, take him out, it doesn't really matter. Keep him busy. Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, hell if anyone is near they will provide support. Nevertheless, he's all yours. You can take him, right?"

She nodded. "Time to give him a taste of his own medicine," she said with narrowed eyes.

"And that brings me to Superman," Batman turned, before striding over to the Man of Steel. "Your responsibility is the ship. You're the only one with enough firepower to take it down. As powerful as he is, Brainiac isn't the most dangerous thing here. It's that ship. As long as it remains, buildings will fall. Lives will be lost."

"Any questions?"

"Yes," Aquaman stepped forward. "This isn't the time for arguments, but wouldn't I be more suitable to take out Brainiac? No offense Diana, but how do we know she'll be able to defeat him? And what exactly are you doing?"

"An army is no good without its leader," Batman replied, talking before Diana could retort. "Your forces need their king. As for me, I will be assisting Superman from the Batwing. And…" he said, leaning forward so he could stare him right in the eye, "I believe Wonder Woman is fully capable of accomplishing her test. You may not trust me, but you should trust her. I do."

Diana seemed surprised by his show of support, while Arthur saw it as a satisfactory answer. Before anyone else could voice any more of their opinions, a frantic tinny voice was heard through the earpiece resonating in Batman's ear.

"Batman? Batman!" Although it was only a whisper, it created a deathly silence in the room. The metas with advanced hearing leaned forward with anxious anticipation. "Yes?" He responded, "What is it?"

"Listen. He's taken us by surprise. We expected him to make an attack on us, where we are. In reality, he's far sneakier than that. He wants to install fear into everyone. He wants to bring down the world around us, before delivering the crushing blow."

"For God's sake!" Batman exclaimed, his impatience seeping into his voice. He simultaneously put the conversation on loudspeaker so the non-powered people could hear. "Quit your chatter and tell me!"

"It's London," they heard Flash say. "He's going to attack London."

* * *

"Why there?" Green Lantern questioned, confused as to why Brainiac would strike there first. "If this was a chest match, then the US would be the king. Why is he not attacking here?"

"If America is the king," Batman answered, "Then the UK is the queen. The United Kingdom is one of the State's most formidable allies. If they were to fall… they would be the herald of the world's destruction, an example of what was to come. Brainiac would conquer England and its neighbouring countries, like Scotland, Wales and Ireland… then move onto the other powerful countries in Europe, like France, Germany and Russia. Then he would attack Africa and Asia. The world would fall around America, making us the last line of defence. The world would literally come down around us, and all we would be able to do would be to watch. All we'd be able to do would be watch the world die."

"Well, he's headed there now, right?" Hawkgirl asked. "Is there any way we could slow him down?"

"No," Superman answered. "We already have a plan, and so far it has worked. We can't change our minds now. We made our decisions, now we reap what we sow."

"Well, it's not the worst way to go out," Green Arrow said. "Saving the world."

"Look," Superman stepped forward, getting everyone's full attention. "We're all different here. Some of us know each other for a couple of weeks, others only a couple of days. But, we're a team. We will win this, because we're not just fighting for the people we love, we're fighting for our home. I'm not from this planet. I'll wager some of you aren't either. But that doesn't matter. What matters is on the battlefield."

"Nice speech," Green Lantern smirked. "Let's go kick Brainiac's ass."

"Come on then!" Batman barked. "Non-flyers, you're with me. I'll drop you into the battlefield. Aquaman, rally your forces. We're going to need them. Remember, we shadow Brainiac. We don't announce our presence until the time is right. And everyone… good luck."

Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Aquaman boarded the Batwing while the rest of the team slowly rose into the air. Aquaman would drop into the sea to organise his forces as they flew over the ocean, while the rest of them would assemble into formation. As they made their way across the endless blue sky, they thought to themselves:

_This is it._

The next time they would see civilisation would be in a warzone.

* * *

Tim Drake had a lot of patience. So did Dick Grayson. But as Barbara watched the two of them fidget, pace and brood, that quality was not being shown. In fact, despite all their jokes to the contrary, they were giving Batman a run for his money in the 'stand still and look thoughtful' test.

Which was why she wasn't surprised when Tim threw up his hands in the air and exclaimed: "That stubborn old bastard!"

"What is it, Tim?" she asked the teenager. She was working with Batman as he piloted the Batwing. Which was why she wanted silence. With Tim's outbursts, she was robbed of that factor.

"Bruce is out there, about to throw himself into the fire, and we're not there to help him!" he shouted.

"Yeah, it sucks," Dick agreed. A mischievous smile appeared on his features. "Say, where exactly is he going? He could use some last minute backup."

"No, Richard, you are not going out there," she said firmly. "He has Superman and Wonder Woman backing him up. I don't think he wants you there. Or you, Tim, for that matter," she said before the young man could speak up. "Is this because you want to help Bruce or is it because you want Superman's autograph?"

"Wait, you want Superman's autograph?" Tim snorted. "He looks boring."

"Yeah, a man with every power under the sun and a good sense of morality is boring," Dick replied. "Besides, you want one from Wonder Woman!"

"Dude, its Wonder Woman. Take a good long look at her. Remember I'm a teenager. A **male **teenager. Make sense?"

"Alright," Dick conceded. "But I'd still rather Superman."

"Fine, if you prefer a reporter for an alter-ego."

"How'd you know his identity?!"

"I went onto the computer, noticed several newspaper articles that Bruce had taken of Clark Kent, realised he was in a relationship with Lois Lane, who is always rescued by Superman. How about you?"

"Bruce told me. I thought he'd tell you."

"Well, he did catch me at the Batcomputer while I was doing it. Said he wanted to see how long it took for me to get it. It took him ten minutes," Tim shrugged.

"How long did it take you?"

"Fifteen."

Barbara watched as they went back and forth, first arguing about Wonder Woman and Superman then talking about the latter's identity. It was hard to believe this conversation had stemmed from Tim and Dick wanting to rush out and help Batman.

Dick must have realised this too when they hit a lull in the conversation. He turned back to Barbara as she typed. "So, about Bruce's location…"

"No, Dick. You couldn't help them even if you wanted to. Brainiac is attacking London, and Bruce has taken the Batwing. By the time you made it there the battle would be won or… it would be too late."

"Babs… do you think he's going to walk away from this alive?" All the joking was gone now from his voice. All that resided there now was concern and doubt.

"Truthfully… I don't know. He's a mortal among gods… who knows what he would do. He might do a kamikaze suicide jump just to gain their respect."

"He won't do that," Tim dismissed. "Besides, there is another way to get us there in time."

"What?" Disk asked. Barbara was equally confused.

"Well, you know that teleporter thing from the plans of the Watcht-"

"Tim Drake, how on Earth do you know about that?!" Barbara shouted, her eyes widening and her mouth opening. "He started on that machine a couple of months ago. He only came back with the plans from the Watchtower in the past week! How the hell do you know?!"

Tim's expression suited the 'rabbit caught in the headlights' look brilliantly. If anyone came into the cave, as Alfred did, they would find a girl in a wheelchair staring in stunned shock at a teenage boy looking absolutely mortified. Dick, on the other hand, was in the middle chuckling as he watched their expressions.

"Master Tim, Master Richard, and Miss Barbara. What appears to be the problem?" the butler asked. When he received no answer from Oracle or Robin, he turned to Nightwing. "What exactly has transpired here?"

Dick laughed. "Tim was snooping somewhere he shouldn't have. Found a teleporter Bruce must be working on." Taking on a more serious tone, he continued. "Tim and I want to help him, Alfred. Is this a way we can?"

Alfred looked at them. "Master Bruce was clear. He didn't wish to see you in danger. This is the reason you are here," he replied.

"But what's the point if Brainiac wins? We'll die anyway. I'd rather go down fighting with my mentor than rot in a cave."

"Me too, Alfred," Dick said. "He may be stubborn but he's not right this time." Turning back to Barbara, he asked: This device. Will it work?"

She sighed. "Theoretically, yes. Bruce has been working on this for a while now. The plans from the Watchtower were like the final piece of the puzzle for him. But… it's still a prototype. Not the finished article. It can transport you to London… but it could be _anywhere_ in that city. You could even just materialise into the sky and plunge to your deaths. Without another teleporter in London, and there isn't, then the transition could be unstable. You will pop up somewhere in London, just not necessarily the right place."

The two of them looked at each other. Almost in sync, they nodded. "We're willing to take that risk," Dick answered.

"You are, but am I? I don't know… I don't want to lose you guys," Barbara answered.

"I must agree with Miss Barbara on this occasion," Alfred inclined. "At the very least, you must wait until they have engaged the enemy."

"How long do we wait?" Dick asked. "By then… it might be too late."

"Yes, Master Richard… it might."

* * *

A child idly looked out of the window in the classroom. He was in a world of his own as he daydreamed. His teacher had already chastised him for his lack of attention, but he couldn't help it. The almost endless expanse of blue was far more interesting than anything Mr. Jones was saying.

"John!" His teacher shouted. "For the love of God, pay attention! This is your last warning!"

"Yes, sir," he replied, nodding his head to the eagle-eyed instructor. However as soon as his back was turned, his eyes were wandering back to the window, back to the blue sky.

Except it wasn't blue anymore. There now was a big hulking black piece of metal visible in the distance. It floated there for a few moments, while John's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. His puzzled look soon turned to wide-eyed horror as something from the thing shot out and hit one of the towers. It caused a massive fiery explosion as it hit.

From the classroom window of the school in suburban London, you could always see the city, its towers dark and grey when it rained and bright and gleaming when it was sunny. But now there was fast becoming nothing in his eyes.

"John, go to the principal's office!" Mr. Jones snapped, as he noticed the boy yet again paying him no heed. But the boy's reaction wasn't one he expected. Instead of disgust, or protests, he just saw a young boy with a pale face and teary eyes staring back at him.

And then he looked out the window.

Mr. Jones didn't particularly believe in religion, but from where he stood it looked like a judgement from God, one that warranted death and destruction. A punishment for their sins.

"Sir?" John asked, his timid voice cutting through his shocked horror. "I think…"

"Yes?"

"Sir, I think the sky is falling down."

* * *

They had been shadowing Brainiac for a while, keeping enough distance between them and yet still following the invader. The clouds provided good camouflage for the heroes, but as they approached the city the helpful mist soon vanished. It didn't matter though. They had arrived at their destination.

So had Brainiac.

The heroes watched as Brainiac targeted a tower and fired. With one missile, it hit right into the foundations of the building, exploding up and around the pillars that held the complex up. People screamed and ran for their lives as the tower started to crumble.

Brainiac had made his first move. It was time to match him.

As one, the Batwing, Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern and Hawkgirl moved to face the ship. As Brainiac's drones descended down on the city, so did Green Arrow and Black Canary, parachuting down to defend the civilians. Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman, realising they were best suited to help the archer, lowered themselves to the ground. That left Batman, Superman and Green Lantern in the air.

"Gentleman," Green Lantern said, "Let's bring this bastard down."

With that, as Brainiac unleashed his missiles on them, they attacked. They dodged and fired varying attacks of their own, probing the ship and looking for its weakness. Brainiac was almost unstoppable, but as accurate as he was, the heroes were too agile for him. They ducked and weaved through the air, looking for an opening.

"Lantern!" Batman shouted. "Get on the top of my plane! I have an idea!"

He complied, quickly landing on the hood. Using his own constructs to clamp himself in, he waited for the man's orders. "Every turret you can think of, attach them. We're going to need the extra firepower."

The Batwing seemed to completely transform in mid-air as green turrets materialised all over the sleek black plane. The aircraft quickly became an all firing vanguard of destruction. With Superman's help, they relentlessly attacked their foe.

It wasn't doing much good. They had slowed his assault on the actual city itself, as less buildings were falling. But Brainiac had an army on the ground to help him do that. Whatever they tried, it didn't seem to work. They had to approach the problem differently if they wanted to punch a hole in the vessel.

"Flash, are there any ways you can destroy the ship's barriers?!" Batman shouted into his earpiece. He didn't mind breaking radio silence now. Brainiac was well aware of their presence now.

"I've tried everything Batman!" Flash said frantically. "Everything is wired back to Brainiac! I can't do anything! Unless… Bats, I've got an idea. You might not like it though."

"Don't even think of engaging Brainiac!" Batman roared into his comm. "Its suicide!"

"How the hell did you know… never mind! Look, unknown variables! I can draw him out!"

"Don't do this, Flash." Batman's voice was dangerously calm.

"You've trusted me with this so far," he replied resolutely. "You can trust me with this now."

"Flash, don't-"All he could hear was static however. "Damn it."

* * *

Green Arrow fired arrow after arrow as the drones' onslaught continued. Every time a machine fell, two more appeared in its place. It was like cutting off the heads of a hydra. Destroying the spearheads wouldn't work, they had to destroy the problem at the root.

Black Canary whirled around the battlefield, showing several examples of her amazing fighting skills as she pirouetted over a drone's head before crushing it as she stomped on its skull. Her skill was incredible, but she was surrounded, and in dire need of help. Her gymnastics could only keep her alive for so long.

Oliver turned as he shot another drone in the head. Wonder Woman was currently engaging a larger group than Black Canary, but she had an entirely different skill set to deal with them. She was however, too far to aid her.

Green Arrow desperately looked around for Hawkgirl. He couldn't spot her though. She was probably somewhere in the sky. And where the hell was Aquaman?

These thoughts flashed through his mind, along with a lot of other unpleasant ones, as he raced to Dinah's position. She had nowhere to go, but she kept fighting, standing her ground as the machines came against her.

He fired an explosive arrow at the group and while he was successful in thinning out the herd, they kept their attention on her. A crushing panic seized his chest as he sprinted across the battlefield. He wasn't going to make it…

He must have prayed to God, because right at the time she was about to be overwhelmed an angel-like figure rushed in to aid her. She wasn't a sentinel from God, but she did answer the archer's prayer. Between the three of them, they dealt with the threat.

"Jesus," Green Arrow breathed, embracing Dinah quickly before they broke apart. "Don't do that to me again."

"A thank you wouldn't go amiss," Hawkgirl said sarcastically.

"Thank you," Black Canary said, as they engaged the enemy again. "Important to remember our manners, even when we are fighting for our lives."

Before Shayera could offer a witty retort, an almost seismic like feeling swept through them, and they weren't the only ones affected. All of Brainiac's soldiers seemed to sway as the ground rumbled, the road beneath them starting to crack. And then they heard it. And then they felt it.

"What is that?" Black Canary asked, as the waves of the River Thames started to rise.

"That," Green Arrow said, "is backup."

And then the water exploded.

Several Atlantean soldiers sprung out from the water as they engaged the enemy. Aquaman himself rose on the crest of the wave, proud and mighty, as he surveyed the landscape.

"For Earth. For Atlantis. For the world!" he roared. "Attack!"

They obeyed his command without doubt or protest, throwing themselves into the fray with almost no regard for their own safety whatsoever. It was clear to see how loyal his subjects were to him. Even though Green Arrow didn't like his regal attitude, he had to admit he wielded his authority like a proper leader. Like a proper king.

"We're pushing them back!" Aquaman said, as he made his way to them. "But this is pointless if we don't neutralise the main threat. How are the others doing with the ship?"

"Not good," Green Arrow replied. "They can't land a proper blow. All we can do is continue to fight, either until they succeed, or until we die."

"Then we shall do that," Aquaman acknowledged.

With their newly acquired forces, they made their way back to the battlefield. All they could do was fight, until they won or lost. And they would win.

No matter the cost.

* * *

It was amazing how quickly a ship could become so empty, no matter its colossal size. Those were the thoughts that went through his head as Flash crept through the silent hallways. He'd disobeyed Batman's command, and although he wasn't awaiting the rant he would inevitably get from the Dark Knight, he figured it wouldn't matter. He'd either succeed and he'd be happy, or he'd be too dead to care.

Barry preferred the first option.

He walked through the corridors, and then he heard him. The deep metal voice of the tyrant was unmistakeable. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was about to come.

"Speedster. Face me." So he was aware of his presence. It didn't matter. He hadn't faced Brainiac in the flesh yet, but he had heard about him from the others. There was no point fearing him. He had to beat him. It was that simple.

"Your allies fight on, struggling and standing in defiance, even though their situation is hopeless. They will receive an honourable death. You hide, like a snake in the grass. And you will die here, alone and forgotten."

"Maybe so," Flash responded. "But in this fight, I have the advantage."

"And what would that be?" Brainiac asked him, preparing himself for the man's assault. "You confront me where I am strongest, where I am the height of my power. So, tell me, what advantage do you possess?"

"I'm in your ship. That means you have to kill me, while I, well, I can destroy you from the inside."

And with that, Flash zoomed over to the console, smashing the screens before Brainiac could react, and then withdrawing just as quickly. Brainiac didn't show emotion on his face, but it was clear to see that he was _pissed._

"That is your attempt to harm me? It is pathetic, human," Brainiac sneered. "You must find another way if you wish to defeat me."

Flash didn't respond verbally, instead electing to charge his enemy. Brainiac attempted to cut the man off, but the speedster easily avoided him, before he delivered an uppercut to the cyborg. Brainiac stumbled, but he regained his footing before replying with a forearm smash that Flash somehow evaded. He didn't let up delivering blow after blow to the behemoth.

Brainiac may not have been able to hit him, but Flash could tell he didn't have to. Every time he struck, Brainiac barely flinched when he attacked him, and in the restrictive space, he couldn't build enough momentum to properly harm him. Something had to give.

Time for a different approach.

Zipping around the consoles, he made sure he was getting his plan right. He would only get one chance at this.

Brainiac turned to face him as he slowed down. "I may not be able to harm you human, but you find yourself equally as disadvantaged as I. We are at an impasse, and time is on my side. So-"

"Oh, will you just shut up?" Flash interrupted. "For someone so damn logical, so damn smart, you've made a lot of glaring mistakes. The first was letting Batman hack you. The second was letting me get at your console. The third… well, the third was not noticing the change in the battlefield. And that is going to be your downfall. Literally."

Brainiac looked down only to see where they were fighting. He was standing on the walkway that led to the opening of the ship. And the wind was starting to breach the exit's barrier.

"Basically…" The Flash said, a wide smile appearing on his features. "Run."

There wasn't even time for the tyrant to do that as the Flash charged, right as the exit opened. He put all his speed, all his strength behind his strides as he tackled the behemoth. Although he didn't push him back far, he did succeed in bringing the invader to his feet. The two fell into open air as they slid out of the ship. They struggled in mid-air as they came down to Earth, with Brainiac soon gaining the advantage. Seizing him by the throat, he said:

"Your efforts have amounted to nothing!" he bellowed, as he attempted to crush the man's windpipe. "You will not prevail! You-"

He was cut off as a green beam slammed into his chest, blasting him away from the man. Flash welcomed the rush of air into his lungs just as a big hand materialised in the air and slowed his fall.

"Thanks, Lantern," he coughed, as the man lowered him to the ground. "I owe you one."

"No, you don't," he responded, grinning. "You just took that son of a bitch out of his ship. The battle is swinging in our favour thanks to you. Far as I see it, we're even."

Flash nodded. "Right, I'll get rid of the civilians. You get back to the ship. Good luck."

"You too."

* * *

"You sure about this?" Barbara asked, as Nightwing and Robin prepared themselves for their journey. "You don't need to do this."

"Yes," Tim responded. "We do."

"Right," she said. "Prepare yourselves." Her words were the last thing they heard before she fired up the teleporter, and they were engulfed in bright white light.

The next thing they knew, they were falling through the sky. From the landmarks, they assumed their plan had worked. Well, half worked.

"To anyone fighting Brainiac, this is Nightwing!" Dick shouted frantically into the radio. The ground was rushing up to them far too quickly than he preferred. "Requesting immediate air-support. Like, now!"

The heroes were momentarily puzzled by these new voices in their comms. Nothing could prepare them for the roar that followed.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Batman roared into their earpieces. He sounded so loud and angry even Superman winced.

"You needed help. We're here to provide it. And could someone pick us up, please! Now would be good!" Tim shouted.

Green Lantern quickly flew to their position, grabbing them as they fell. At Batman's order, he deposited them next to Green Arrow. He didn't dare disobey him.

"Green Arrow. You're in charge of them." Batman's voice was deathly calm. "If anything happens to them, I will find you."

"Okaay… Nightwing? Robin? Whatever you do, don't die. At all. Otherwise I'll be joining you. One way or another."

* * *

Brainiac landed with a thud. He looked around at the destruction he had caused and he smirked. The heroes' efforts were spirited, but meaningless. No matter how hard they fought, it wouldn't be enough. His ship was set on auto-pilot, meaning even without its pilot it would continue to destroy everything around it. They couldn't hold forever, no matter how determined they were. Once he got past this minor inconvenience, he would bring down the world.

"Brainiac. So glad we could meet again," a female voice said behind him. He turned to see Wonder Woman standing behind him. She was in a battle stance, awaiting his attack. What was interesting was the fact that her sword was sheathed.

"Amazon. The last time we met, my fist was protruding through your ally's chest." He smirked. "Are you ready to share the same fate?"

"As charming as that sounds, I've got a machine to kill," she responded. She was oozing with confidence, he could tell. It would prove to be her downfall.

"You had Superman and Batman's aid in our last encounter," he said. "You will not be getting their help now."

"Maybe so," she agreed. "But you see that big hulking metal thing, up in the sky? Well, once you're out, that's it. You're not going to get a power boost. And that's going to be your downfall."

"We shall see," Brainiac said, before he feinted with his left arm and then delivering a crushing blow with his right. He angled into her head, looking to smash her into the ground.

She dodged with unbelievable grace, but he knew what she was doing. He spun, ready to catch her counter-attack.

It never came.

He turned, only to see Diana's fist smash into his face. He was surprised by the ferocity of the strike. He flew back as she kept up her assault, delivering a massive uppercut before she spun and rammed him with a roundhouse kick in the stomach. He was sent crashing back with the force of her kick, as he slammed into a destroyed building. Picking himself up from her attack, he quickly reassessed his opponent.

"You have improved since our last bout," he appraised. "But still you will lose."

She spread her arms with a 'come at me' expression, smiling wildly. It was the smile you would find on the face of a tiger: Cold and deadly.

"Give me your best," she challenged. "Because this isn't it."

He charged at her but instead of flying to meet him she simply stood in her place, waiting for him. He was poised to deliver a strike to the side of her face, but she stepped forward in time, hitting him first and hitting him hard. Again he was forced back, and this time Wonder Woman offered him no respite. She viciously pressed on the advantage, landing blow after blow to the cyborg. He was near invincible back on the ship, but now he was weaker. She could tell by the way he fought, the way he attempted to harm her.

"I can tell you've studied me," she said, dodging a blow to her head just in time. "I bet you obsessed yourself with every way an Amazon fights, every way we can fight. I bet you know every sword style there is, the brute force approach, the finesse way, everything. But there was one thing you never expected," she said, as she tangled with her foe.

"Would you care to enlighten me?" he spoke through gritted teeth. She was winning, with an unorthodox style. He had to find the antithesis to it.

"Oh, I will. You never expected that an Amazon, who was taught every ancient fighting style, could simply switch it off like a light switch… and replace it with something newer, in the space of a week," she said, grinning widely.

"And how did you achieve this, Amazon?" he asked. If he could find out how she fought, he could learn how to counter it.

"It was quite simple really," she smirked. "I just took one style from a friend… and fused it together with my own brand of brawling. And the result is quite spectacular, really. All the finesse and grace of the ancient and modern age, with the brutality and strength of an Amazon."

With that they clashed, and Brainiac finally managed to land a strike, and he made her reel back with the force of the blow. She took it though. The reward was worth it.

"And now," she said, as he stood stationary amidst the battlefield, tied by her lasso, she delivered the final blow.

"It's over."

She tugged with her weapon and he came flying at her. But instead of stepping forward and unleashing all her strength with one final swing, she simply stepped aside. Because aid had arrived, in the form of a Thanagarian with a very nasty mace.

Wonder Woman rose into the air as Hawkgirl followed, smashing her weapon into the invader's skull again and again. With one final throw, he was thrown into the air before Hawkgirl slammed her weapon right down into his chest, sending Brainiac plummeting back down to the ground.

He landed with an almighty crash, and somehow, even he knew he wasn't going to get up.

"Even with all your strength… Even with all your attempts… you will not win this day. I will… rise again." His metal voice was more tinny than usual. A sure sign he was fading.

"Somehow I doubt that," Hawkgirl said, while Diana wrapped her lasso around him. She wasn't sure if it would even work on something like Brainiac, but she figured she had to try.

"You've lost. All your talk and you got defeated by the very heroes you slandered. Now," she said, steel in her voice, "How do we get your ship to stop?"

"You can't… Not unless I will it to… Superman has fought valiantly… Ripped a hole through the side… But it will not recede… It will not retreat… Because even if you defeated me… Even if you saved your pitiful world…"

"You can't save everyone."

"I don't believe that," she answered. "I'll ask again, **how do we stop it**?"

"It will eventually fall… But even if Earth is spared… London will not."

Despite added attempts from Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl, they could not get him to respond again. They rose into the sky, joining Batman, Green Lantern and Superman. "How's it going?" she asked.

Superman shook his head. "I've tried everything. I have made a decent-sized wreck on the side, but that's about it. Where's Brainiac?"

"Buried in rubble. He's not getting up anytime soon."

He smiled. "I knew you could do it."

A voice interrupted them as it spoke through their radios. "Superman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl and Aquaman. Face the front of the ship. Green Lantern, go round the back. I have an idea," Batman spoke. His voice seemed unusually heavy.

"What's your plan, Bats?" Green Lantern asked. "You got a missile capable of bringing this thing down?"

"Yes," he replied. "As a matter of fact, I do."

"No he doesn't," Nightwing spoke into the comm, before realisation dawned on him. "Br-Batman do not even think about it." Everyone who was listening could hear the fear in the young man's voice.

"Why? What is he…" Tim said, before he remembered Barbara's words. _He's a mortal among gods. He's liable to execute a kamikaze suicide jump just to gain their respect._ "Batman, don't. Please."

"I'm sorry, Robin. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," he said, but there was sadness in his voice. "I'm going to crash the Batwing into the ship. When I do, get ready. You will have to make sure it doesn't destroy London as it falls."

"There's got to be another way," Superman said. "Maybe I can…"

"No," Batman cut him off. "There isn't."

"You don't need to die!" Wonder Woman shouted, as he positioned the Batwing to fly into the gaping hole Superman had made. "Eject or something. Glide down!"

"Not from this height, Princess."

"Fine," Hawkgirl said. "I'll catch you when you fall."

"No!" Batman shouted. "I need you to stop the ship's descent. Millions of people live here. They are more important than one man. After all…"

"A good death is its own reward."

And with that, he flew the Batwing right into the gap in the ship, his plane detonating on impact. Robin screamed in anguish as he saw his trainer, his mentor, hell, his **father**, die. Nightwing stood in shock as the ship lopsided, before it tilted and fell as the heroes caught it. The heroes on the ground were so distracted by Batman's sacrifice that they forgot they were still in a warzone.

There was so much disruption that no one noticed Green Arrow, tapping his ear as everyone else around him fought for their lives. They also didn't notice Oliver's grin of triumph before he roared into his comm.

"Flash! Get me to the other side of the Thames," he shouted. He had only one chance to get this right.

The man materialised next to him, but he looked puzzled. "Ok, but why?"

Arrow grinned. "Batman ain't dead yet. He's currently plummeting through the air like a stone. I have something that can save him. But I need you to get me across the Thames NOW!"

Flash quickly obliged as he transported the man across the river. They were greeted with the sight of the Dark Knight falling through the sky. And Green Arrow knew he had only one shot at this. Literally.

"Flash, keep them off me," he asked. "I have to get this right."

With that, he calmly reached behind his back and pulled an arrow out of his quiver. It was a very unique, specific arrow. One that could arrest a man's fall and provide a soft landing. But he had to get it right. If he was inaccurate, even by an inch, Batman would die.

He breathed. He remembered his training as his eyes locked onto his target.

He was taking too long. Even though he was the fastest man alive, Flash couldn't keep every drone from him. One broke through, and headed straight for the archer.

He couldn't take his eyes off of Batman, even for a second. But the alternative was even more dangerous. Taking a deep breath, he decided to compromise.

He dove to the side, simultaneously evading the drone's strike and letting the arrow loose. It sped towards its target, it's aim hard and true. And just as it looked like it would go too far, like it would miss altogether, it expanded, just as Batman was about to hit the ground.

Batman stood up. What would've been a cold hard-hitting plunge into the ground was replaced with a soft landing as the arrow turned itself into a bungee, keeping him alive. Green Arrow stood before him, grinning like a madman. Batman let it pass. He had just saved his life after all.

"And they say I'm crazy," the archer smirked, offering him a hand up. He took it, responding:

"Are Robin and Nightwing okay?"

Arrow chuckled. "Yeah, they're fine. And I think you owe me a, let's see, what do they call it? A thank you, is it? I mean-"

"Thank you, Oliver."

"You're welcome, and… wait, what? How'd you know… uh, never mind, Bruce," he said, grinning again. "I was there when Brainiac nearly tore your face off, remember?"

"Don't push it."

They were soon joined by Flash, and the trio soon joined the rest of their companions as they gently set the ship down. Batman marched straight to Robin and Nightwing.

"You disobeyed my direct orders, you tested an unused prototype, and you nearly got yourselves killed," his voice was deathly calm, as the two boys kept their heads high.

Which was why they were really surprised when he said: "Don't do that to me again," as he put an arm on each of their shoulders. Bruce's voice was still the low growl of the Batman, but it held something softer in it.

"Right back at you, Batman," Nightwing replied. "You ain't dying on us yet."

Their conversation was interrupted as people came out of the rubble, eyeing and watching the heroes who had assembled. They waited for the inevitable boos, chants about how they had destroyed London. The politicians would love that, they were sure.

But those chants, those boos, they never came. Instead, there was a clap, before everyone else joined in, chanting their names at their saviours before them. The heroes looked at each other, before small smiles lit their faces. Even Batman face slowly resembled something like a grin.

"Uh, sir?" a little girl had somehow made her way out of the crowd, and now she was approaching them. "Thank you for saving us."

Superman smiled, before he leant down to greet her. "No problem. And what would your name be?"

"Lily," the girl answered shyly. "Who exactly are all of you?"

"We," Superman started to reply, before he turned around to look at his teammates. He received a lot of nods with what he was about to say. "We are the Justice League."

"And I'm going to say this now. If anyone thinks they can target Earth, they are wrong. If anyone thinks they can target the innocent, they are wrong. Every time evil raises its head, we will be there to stop it. The Justice League will always be here, defending and protecting Earth, and all who live here. That is a promise."

The politicians would continue to debate, the people would rejoice at their saviour. But one thing was clear. Through all the good times, through all the bad, through all the joyful, hopeless and happy days, the Justice League would be there.

Always.

* * *

**So, there we have it. I'll have one last epilogue, and then this story is officially finished. As I mentioned earlier, there is a sequel in the works, but I'm going to take a week off to plan it. I knew exactly what was going to happen in this story, since I was wondering how they would do a Justice League movie. All those ideas popped up in my head and eventually I thought I should just type them down. I want my next story to be the same. I know how it's going to start, what's going to happen and how it's going to end, but I want to know when to link in the plot points.**

**In the meantime, I'll probably write a couple of oneshots to keep me busy. For anyone who feels there should've been a few more BMWW moments, don't worry. The next story is going to be longer, and it's going to show how their relationship has evolved. That being said, it will be grittier too. I'll probably call it 'Mad World', so if you enjoyed this story look out for it. And did anyone catch the Skyrim, Doctor Who and Man of Steel references?**

**Anyway, I should probably leave this to the epilogue, but I can't wait. I can't thank the people who reviewed, followed and favourite enough. Thank you so much for helping me as I wrote this. Some of your suggestions were invaluable.**

**And of course, if you did like this story, or you want to ask me what's next in store, why not leave a review? I can't stress how much I enjoy reading what you guys think.**

**Until next time!**

**GravityIsOverated.**


	8. Chapter 8: Epilogue

**Last chapter, guys and girls. Thank you to anyone who has made it this far and kept reading. I can't thank you enough. Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope to see you when I write the next story (Mad World). Now, enjoy!**

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Two weeks after Brainiac's invasion…

Diana looked on as the soldiers marched into the base. After their successful defence of London, she'd thought that maybe she might get a break for once. But crime never ceased. Even if it was small, it was always there, and her duty as a super heroine bade her to stop it. The American Navy were now moving into the base, and she had spoke with a few soldiers as they moved. They were so thankful to her, and the younger recruits seemed to be in awe of her. Nevertheless, she had said goodbye and watched as they laid their claim to it. It didn't really matter now though, considering what Green Arrow and Batman were doing.

Up in the sky, amongst the stars, a colossal space station was being built. They had all chipped in to help pay for it, although Green Arrow and Batman bore the brunt of the cost. They didn't seem to mind though. After all, one was a playboy millionaire and the other… well, even if she didn't know the archer's identity, she assumed he was like Bruce, if only because he could afford it.

Speaking of the devil, she heard the very man behind her as he walked over to her. He had been checking all the computers and data feeds had been wiped, and he must have been on his last few ones.

"Hello, Batman," she greeted.

"Princess," he responded. He was the only one who called her that. She let him get away with it, even though it had annoyed her to no end when they had first met. A lot had happened since then.

"Where did you go? I mean, after the battle. Most of us haven't seen you for two weeks," she asked. It had been true, he had disappeared back to Gotham, even though he had needed Green Lantern's help in doing so, as had Nightwing and Robin.

"I'm a part-timer, remember? Besides, I'm not one for crowds."

"I'm curious about something though. Who were those two guys that went back with you?" she asked. "I didn't figure you for one who asked for help. Not to mention you went ballistic when they arrived."

He grunted. "I didn't. Remember when I went back to Gotham before the battle? It was to warn them off. They were not to get involved, at all."

"Why? Are they your sons or something?" she said. Despite his cold treatment of them, she had caught how grateful he'd been that they survived Brainiac's attempted invasion.

"I… I suppose you could say that. I'm not really their father, even though I… care for them," he replied. Before she could answer, he switched the topic. "Although they sure want to help. They're talking about starting a team of younger heroes, like us. There are all sorts of people rising from the shadows now, extraordinary people who feel they don't need to be ashamed of their gifts anymore. Superman's speech seems to have given them hope. Hal even told me that there is another Green Lantern."

"Hal," she asked in confusion, before she clued in. "That's Green Lantern's name? Did he tell you?"

"No," he responded. "I just figured it out. It wasn't that hard."

"Of course," she said. "Are you done wiping our records yet? And isn't that a tad bit paranoid?"

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But where other heroes are dead, I'm still in the game. We can't afford to relax, even if we do deserve it. We have to be careful when the Watchtower is built. Evil never truly rests, and we've just announced ourselves to the world in the most explosive way possible. We inspire hope, but we also attract darkness. And if we're not alert, it will swallow us whole."

She nodded. "Maybe. But by that same logic, good will always be there to thwart evil, no matter how hopeless it may seem."

Batman shrugged his shoulders. Diana conceded that he might be right, that the endless, infinite battle between good and evil would always be in the balance, but she found it hard to think like that. They had won, she had a family now and the sun was shining.

The future was really looking up for them.

* * *

Again Commissioner Gordon reviewed the footage. Though it was by no fault of their own, the guards at the asylum were terrible. All of them lay dead through the eyes of the camera, taken out with cold and deadly efficiency. But that wasn't the most troubling thing. There were two in fact.

The first was the mask on his head. There was only one shot of him that the camera had managed to capture before he'd scrambled the feed, but only one picture was needed. In fairness, the way he went about his job suggested it had been him. The way he moved, the way he fought, and of course the black and yellow mask that adorned his face.

Deathstroke.

The proper question was why did he bother coming to Arkham Asylum. The most logical answer was that someone had paid him, but even he had his code of honour. The inmate he had freed was… almost indescribable. The insanity behind those sick twisted eyes was unparalleled. He had killed countless people, all for the hell of it, without any motive other than his own disgusting enjoyment.

The Joker.

That was what didn't make sense here. Deathstroke was a master assassin, the most feared in the world. He didn't need to stoop to breaking inmates out of a prison. And if the Joker really wanted to escape, he'd do it by himself. No, there was something else, something he was missing. Someone wanted the Joker out of Arkham, and they were willing to pay massive amounts of money for Deathstroke to do it. This action would have bigger consequences to come. The Joker would usually plot behind bars, waiting for the right time to break out. There was a third player here, but Gordon didn't have a clue who.

One thing was clear. He had to talk to Batman. Something big was coming, a storm was brewing, and they had to be ready for when it hit.

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**So, a little wrap up with a teaser of what is to come. A little short, but I don't want to reveal too much yet. What do you think? Normally I'd say 'please review!' or something like that, but it's not really necessary. That being said you can if you want to, it's not as if I'm going to complain. No, what I want to do is to thank my 'regular' reviewers, such as LloydRPGFan, pk6873, , ZachZ, mbembet, LSZero, book girl fan and guest. Your reviews, support and advice was vital. And, even though this will sound cliched, I didn't think I'd get near 50 reviews. I thought this would barely limp over 20. So thank you to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed my first story. It means a lot.  
**

**Until next time!**

**GravityIsOverated.**


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